Individual heavy metal exposure and birth outcomes in Shenqiu county along the Huai River Basin in China.

ABSTRACT: Background: Exposure to heavy metals during pregnancy is an important risk factor for adverse birth outcomes. We aimed to investigate the current heavy metal exposure levels in cord blood from healthy pregnant women residing in the Huaihe River Basin, China, and examined the association between heavy metal levels and dietary habits and lifestyle factors. In this study, we measured the exposure levels of five heavy metals in the umbilical cord blood from 350 healthy pregnant women and administered 350 self-reported questionnaires regarding the general characteristics and dietary habits of those women. Methods: This study was undertaken in Shenqiu county, Henan province, which is in the area of the Huai River Basin, in a cohort of pregnant women and newborn babies in 2013-2014.

SUBMITTER: Lin Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6062375 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature