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Background: There is inconsistent evidence indicating that serum Zn deficiency in pregnant women may adversely affect fetal growth. In order to survey this matter in Iran, a study was conducted with the aim of determining the association between serum Zn in pregnant women of Kashan and anthropometric factors of their neonates in 2008-2009. Materials and Methods: In this eross-secrional study, of all the pregnant women referring to Naghavi Polyclinic of Kashan University of Medical Sciences, 128 women and their neonates were selected. Serum Zn concentration in 6-9 month pregnant women and anthropometric factors of their neonates (weight, height, and head circumference) were measured. Then the relationship between the prevalence of Zn deficiency and the neonates’ anthropometric factors was reported. T-test and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results: Mean weight and height of the infants whose mothers had low serum Zn concentration (below normal) were 130.1g and 0.6 cm less than the infants whose mothers had high Zn concentrations. A significant positive correlation was found between birth size height of the neonates and serum Zn concentration of the mothers (P=0.02). Conclusion: The results suggest that maternal serum zinc level affects neonates’ height.

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Background: Head circumference (and its related morphologic factors such as head length and width) is one of the morphologic indices that people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have different developmental patterns in comparison to their peers. So the aim of this study is to assess head circumference indices in relation to cognitive factors in ASD children and adolescents.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the case group was consisted of 129 students with ASD aged 7-18 years old. The control group was consisted of 103 students with intellectual disability (ID) aged 7-18 years old. Head circumference, head length and width was measured by meter and caliper respectively. In addition, socio- cognitive factors questionnaire was responded by parents.

Results: Results showed that the head circumference, length and width of ASD group was significantly greater than ID group (p<0.001). Moreover, ASD group achieved lower score on SSIS questionnaire than ID group (p<0.001). Furthermore, results showed that in ASD group with increasing the size of head circumference the score on socio-cognitive abilites and skills decreased (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Generally, this study indicated that the developmental trajectory as well as the relation of anthropmetric indices of head circumference and socio-cognitive factors in children and adolescents with ASDs is different from ID population.