- Method:
- Subjects – 80 newborns with NTDs (anencephaly or spina bifida) and 50 healthy term newborns (controls) recruited from Shanxi Province.
- Concentrations of total Hg, Cd, Pb and As were measured from placentas collected at delivery or pregnancy termination.
- Key findings:
- Median Hg concentration – Significantly higher (p<0.001) in cases with any NTDs (2.25 ng/g) than the controls (1.16 ng/g)
- Median Cd concentration – Significantly lower (p<0.001) in cases with any NTDs (3.85 ng/g) than the controls (7.64 ng/g).
- No significant differences in both median concentrations of Pb and As between NTDs and control groups.
- Dose-response pattern of Hg levels and risk of NTDs – 2.7-fold increased risk with Hg concentration of 1.21 to 2.32 ng/g; and 18.2-fold increased risk with Hg concentration of ≥ 2.32 ng/g.
- Conclusion:
- Higher placental concentrations of Hg were associated with increased risk of NTDs.
- Higher placental concentrations of Hg were associated with increased risk of NTDs.
WYE-EM-008-JAN-14
Reference
Jin L, Zhang L, Li Z, Liu JM, Ye R, Ren A. Placental concentrations of mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic and the risk of neural tube defects in a Chinese population. Reprod Toxicol. 2013 Jan;35:25-31. Link to PubMed