Arsenic and cadmium levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood and their associations with birth outcomes

Abstract

Exposure to heavy metals as cadmium and arsenic during pregnancy may have unfavorable effects on pregnant women and their offsprings. The aim of the study is to characterize the concentrations of arsenic and cadmium in umbilical cord blood and maternal blood and to clarify their associations with certain epidemiological maternal variables and birth outcomes. This cross- sectional study was conducted on randomly chosen 113 pregnant mothers and their newborns. Full history and sociodemographic data were recorded. Inductively Couples Plasma Mass Spectrometry was used to assess the levels of arsenic and cadmium in maternal and cord blood serum samples. There was a significant negative association between gestational age and maternal serum level of arsenic (r=-0.368, P=0.04). There was a significant negative correlation between maternal serum levels of arsenic and cadmium with Apgar score at 1-minute (r=-0.352, -0.361, P= 0.04, 0.032 respectively). No significant correlation was found between maternal serum levels of arsenic and cadmium and neither maternal education nor maternal age. The current approach states that maternal exposure to arsenic and cadmium during pregnancy has been found to be harmful to the developing fetus. The outcomes of the present work highlight the importance of avoiding prenatal exposure to heavy metals.