Volume 2, Issue 1, Page 13

Environmental Epidemiology and Toxicology
formerly Journal Of Clean Technology, Environmental Toxicology And Occupational Medicine

March 2000, Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 13 - 19

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Article

Trace metals and pregnancy outcome in the Czech Republic
HELEN EPSTEIN¹, JAN DEJMEK¹, PAVEL S caron UBRT², NARCISA VITNEROVÁ³ & RADIM J. S caron RÁM¹
¹Laboratory of Genetic Exotoxicology, Regional Institute of Hygiene of Central Bohemia and Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic     ²Laboratory Department, Regional Institute of Hygiene, Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic     ³District Institute of Hygiene, Teplice, Czech Republic

Correspondence to: JAN DEJMEK, Laboratory of Genetic Exotoxicology, Regional Institute of Hygiene of Central Bohemia and Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic. Tel.: +420-2-4724756. Fax: +420-2-4752785.
E-mail: dejmekj@ms.anet.cz

Keywords

cadmium;   intra-uterine growth retardation;   lead;   low birth weight;   mercury;   toxic metals

Abstract

A pilot study of the relationship between toxic trace metals and outcome of first delivery was undertaken. Pregnant women (N=103) were recruited from antenatal clinics in two districts in the Czech Republic: Teplice, which is in an industrial and mining region with high levels of air pollution, and Prachatice, a largely rural district with low levels of air pollution. In Teplice, maternal blood lead (Pb) averaged 34.99 ng/ml, maternal blood mercury (Hg) averaged 1.05 ng/ml, maternal blood cadmium (Cd) averaged 0.47 ng/ml and maternal blood arsenic (As) was undetectable. Similar levels were found in cord blood. These levels are very low compared to those considered harmful to health in general, and to those believed to cause adverse pregnancy outcomes in particular. In addition, the metal concentrations were similar in the two regions. Relationships between toxic trace metal concentrations and low birth weight, prematurity and intra-uterine-growth-retardation were evaluated using regression analysis. No effect of these metals on any of the pregnancy outcomes measured was observed. Environmental Epidemiology and Toxicology (2000) 2, 13-19.