Document Detail


Prenatal exposure to mercury and neurobehavioral development of neonates in Zhoushan City, China.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  17655840     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Exposure to hazardous Hg can adversely affect children's neurodevelopment. However, few data are available on either Hg levels in neonates and their mothers or the impact of prenatal exposure to Hg on neonates' neurobehavioral development in the Chinese population. Therefore, this study examined Hg levels in neonates and their mothers and the relationship between prenatal exposure to Hg and neonates' neurobehavioral development in Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, China. Between August and October 2004, 417 women who delivered their babies at Zhoushan Women's and Children's Health Hospital, an island city in east China were invited to take part in this study. A total of 408 complete questionnaires, 405 maternal hair samples, and 406 umbilical cord samples were collected. Neonatal behavioral neurological assessments (NBNA) were conducted for 384 neonates. The geometric mean (GM) of Hg level in cord blood was 5.58 microg/L (interquartile range: 3.96-7.82 microg/L), and the GM of maternal hair Hg level was 1246.56 microg/kg (interquartile range: 927.34-1684.67 microg/kg), a level much lower than other reported fish-eating populations, indicating Hg exposure in Zhoushan city is generally below those considered hazardous. However, according to the reference dose of Hg levels (RfD 5.8 microg/L) derived by EPA, 69.9% of newborns had levels at or above the RfD, an estimated level assumed to be without appreciable harm. There was a strong correlation between maternal hair and cord blood Hg levels (r = 0.82, P < 0.01). Frequency of fish consumption was associated with hair Hg (r = 0.48, P < 0.01) and cord blood Hg levels (r = 0.54, P < 0.01). Increased prenatal Hg exposure was associated with decreased behavioral ability for males (OR = 1.235, 95%CI of OR = 1.078-1.414, P < 0.001), but not for females. Our results provide some support for the hypothesis that there is neurodevelopmental risk for males from prenatal MeHg exposure resulting from fish consumption. But the findings of this study may be due to chance, and long-term follow-up research is needed to evaluate cumulative effects of exposure to mercury.
Authors:
Yu Gao; Chong-Huai Yan; Ying Tian; Yu Wang; Han-Fang Xie; Xin Zhou; Xiao-Dan Yu; Xiao-Gang Yu; Shilu Tong; Qing-Xin Zhou; Xiao-Ming Shen
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2007-07-25
Journal Detail:
Title:  Environmental research     Volume:  105     ISSN:  0013-9351     ISO Abbreviation:  Environ. Res.     Publication Date:  2007 Nov 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2007-10-12     Completed Date:  2007-12-03     Revised Date:  2008-11-21    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0147621     Medline TA:  Environ Res     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  390-9     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
XinHua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Shanghai 200092, China.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Animals
China
Cities
Environmental Exposure
Female
Fetal Blood / chemistry
Food Contamination / analysis*
Hair / chemistry
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Language Development
Male
Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Maternal-Fetal Exchange
Mercury / blood*,  toxicity
Motor Skills / drug effects
Pregnancy / blood*,  metabolism
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects*
Public Health
Risk Assessment
Seafood / analysis*
Sex Factors
Water Pollution, Chemical / adverse effects*,  analysis
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
7439-97-6/Mercury
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Environ Res. 2008 Mar;106(3):420; discussion 421-2   [PMID:  18221937 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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