Metal Exposure During Pregnancy Causes Chronic Diseases

Exposure to metals like nickel, arsenic, cobalt, and lead during pregnancy is shown to alter a woman's hormones causing birth problems such as preterm birth and low birth weight in babies, and preeclampsia in women as per Rutgers a study published in the journal Environment International.

Preeclampsia is a condition, characterized by high blood pressure and protein deposition inurine during pregnancy. This may lead to severe seizures and further birth complications if untreated.

‘Exposure to certain metals during pregnancy is disrupts a woman's hormones causing birth problems such as preterm birth and low birth weight in babies, and preeclampsia. This requires further investigations to track the changes in markers of endocrine function that affect birth and other health outcomes. ’

Although the ill effects of metal exposure are known, the exact mechanism of how it's caused remains unclear.

Metal exposure and hormonal disruption in pregnancy

To lay the understanding, the team examined blood and urine samples from 815 women enrolled in the Puerto Rico Test site for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) study. It was observed that disruption by metals occurs in the endocrine system - responsible for regulating our body's hormones.

Sex-steroid hormones revealed alterations during pregnancy lead to inadequate fetal growth, and low birth weight. These changes during the prenatal period contribute to children's later health and disease risk including the risk of developing chronic diseases, obesity and breast cancer.

"A delicate hormonal balance orchestrates pregnancy from conception to delivery and perturbations of this balance may negatively impact both mother and fetus," said lead author Zorimar Rivera-N�nez, an assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the Rutgers School of Public Health.

Women living in Puerto Rico were exposed more to metals during pregnancy than those in the continental United States.

"This is important because, compared to the U.S. overall, women in Puerto Rico have significantly higher rates of preterm birth [nearly 12 per cent] and other adverse birth outcomes. Additionally, exposure to environmental pollution is exacerbated by extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, droughts and flooding, which may result in elevated exposures to Superfund sites," says Rivera-N�nez.

The team emphasised the need for future research to investigate how changes in markers of endocrine function affect birth and other health outcomes.

Source: Medindia