Wu Jinhua, Ying Tinger, Shen Zhonghai, Wang Haiyan
Zhoushan Women's & Children's Health Hospital, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China.
Zhoushan Women's & Children's Health Hospital, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China.
Pediatr Neurol. 2014 Jul;51(1):93-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2014.03.018. Epub 2014 Mar 27.
This study aimed to assess the effects of low-level prenatal mercury exposure on neonate neurobehavioral development in China.
In total, 418 mother-neonate pairs were included in the study. Maternal urine, hair, and blood samples and cord blood samples were used to document prenatal exposure to mercury. The Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was used to estimate neurobehavioral development in the neonates at 3 days of age.
Total mercury level was significantly higher in cord blood than that in maternal blood. A strong correlation was found between total mercury levels in maternal blood and those in cord blood (r = 0.7431; P < 0.0001). Trend analysis revealed that mothers who consumed more fish had higher blood and cord blood mercury levels (all P < 0.0001). Significant differences were also found between male and female cord blood mercury levels among groups with different fish consumption frequencies (all P < 0.0001). Cord blood mercury level was significantly associated with total Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment scores (β = 0.03; standard error = 0.01; P = 0.0409), passive muscle tone (odds ratio = 1.07; 95% confidence interval = 1.12-1.13; P = 0.0071), and active muscle tone (odds ratio = 1.06; 95% confidence interval = 1.01-1.11; P = 0.0170) scores after adjustment, respectively.
Neonatal neurodevelopment was associated with prenatal exposure to mercury. Women with high mercury levels should avoid intake seafood excessively during pregnancy. Long-term effects of exposure to mercury on childhood development need to be further explored.
本研究旨在评估中国孕期低水平汞暴露对新生儿神经行为发育的影响。
本研究共纳入418对母婴。采集母亲的尿液、头发、血液样本以及脐带血样本，以记录孕期汞暴露情况。采用新生儿行为神经评定法评估新生儿出生3天时的神经行为发育情况。
脐带血中的总汞水平显著高于母亲血液中的总汞水平。母亲血液和脐带血中的总汞水平之间存在强相关性（r = 0.7431；P < 0.0001）。趋势分析显示，食用鱼类较多的母亲，其血液和脐带血中的汞水平较高（所有P < 0.0001）。在不同鱼类消费频率的组中，男性和女性脐带血汞水平之间也存在显著差异（所有P < 0.0001）。调整后，脐带血汞水平分别与新生儿行为神经评定总分（β = 0.03；标准误 = 0.01；P = 0.0409）、被动肌张力（优势比 = 1.07；95%置信区间 = 1.12 - 1.13；P = 0.0071）和主动肌张力（优势比 = 1.06；95%置信区间 = 1.01 - 1.11；P = 0.0170）得分显著相关。
新生儿神经发育与孕期汞暴露有关。汞水平高的女性在孕期应避免过量摄入海鲜。汞暴露对儿童发育的长期影响有待进一步探索。
