Chen Haiying, Yan Wenjing, Wu Xueyan, Li Yuanyuan
Department of Ultrasound, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2025 Jan 15;290:117509. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117509. Epub 2024 Dec 13.
Aluminum (Al) has been proposed as a potential factor influencing fetal growth. However, the existing study findings are inconsistent and there is a lack of population-based epidemiological studies. Our study aimed to evaluate the trimester-specific correlations of Al exposure with fetal development characteristics.
Between 2013 and 2016, 3599 women from Wuhan, China were enrolled in the prospective cohort study. The concentrations of Al were quantified in urine samples obtained from pregnant women during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The study used linear regressions with generalized estimating equation to determine the connections between specific gravity-adjusted urinary Al concentrations in each trimester and fetal growth parameters and birth size indicators.
Trimester-specific Al exposure throughout pregnancy was found to have a negative impact on fetal growth and birth parameters. Besides, statistically significant interactions were detected between biparietal diameter (BPD) (P = 0.007), head circumference (P = 0.026) at 16 weeks' gestation in the first trimester, BPD (P = 0.015) at 24 weeks' gestation in the second trimester, BPD (P = 0.014) at 31 weeks' gestation in the second trimester and BPD (P = 0.035) at 37 weeks' gestation in the third trimester and fetal sex, and the strength of the association between the level of Al exposure and BPD was significantly stronger in female fetuses than in male fetuses. Furthermore, we observed three distinct trajectories of trimester-specific Al concentrations during pregnancy. Compared to participants with low-stable group of Al concentrations trajectory, high-stable group was associated with more decrease level of fetal growth parameters and birth size indicators.
Our study results reveal that Al might have harmful effects on fetal growth and birth size indicators, especially in female fetuses. Further study is required to examine our findings in other populations.
铝（Al）被认为是影响胎儿生长的一个潜在因素。然而，现有研究结果并不一致，且缺乏基于人群的流行病学研究。我们的研究旨在评估孕期各阶段铝暴露与胎儿发育特征之间的相关性。
2013年至2016年期间，来自中国武汉的3599名女性被纳入前瞻性队列研究。通过电感耦合等离子体质谱法对孕妇在孕早期、孕中期和孕晚期采集的尿液样本中的铝浓度进行定量分析。本研究采用广义估计方程的线性回归方法来确定各孕期经比重校正后的尿铝浓度与胎儿生长参数及出生大小指标之间的关联。
整个孕期特定阶段的铝暴露被发现对胎儿生长和出生参数有负面影响。此外，在孕早期妊娠16周时的双顶径（BPD）（P = 0.007）、头围（P = 0.026），孕中期妊娠24周时的BPD（P = 0.015），孕中期妊娠31周时的BPD（P = 0.014）以及孕晚期妊娠37周时的BPD（P = 0.035）与胎儿性别之间检测到具有统计学意义的相互作用，并且铝暴露水平与BPD之间的关联强度在女胎中显著强于男胎。此外，我们观察到孕期特定阶段铝浓度有三种不同的变化轨迹。与铝浓度轨迹为低稳定组的参与者相比，高稳定组的胎儿生长参数和出生大小指标下降幅度更大。
我们的研究结果表明，铝可能对胎儿生长和出生大小指标有有害影响，尤其是对女胎。需要进一步研究以在其他人群中验证我们的发现。
