IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i13p7140-d588077.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mercury and Prenatal Growth: A Systematic Review

Author

Listed:
  • Kyle Dack

    (Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK)

  • Matthew Fell

    (Cleft Collective, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK)

  • Caroline M. Taylor

    (Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1NU, UK)

  • Alexandra Havdahl

    (Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0456 Oslo, Norway
    Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, 0771 Oslo, Norway)

  • Sarah J. Lewis

    (Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
    Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK)

Abstract

The intrauterine environment is critical for healthy prenatal growth and affects neonatal survival and later health. Mercury is a toxic metal which can freely cross the placenta and disrupt a wide range of cellular processes. Many observational studies have investigated mercury exposure and prenatal growth, but no prior review has synthesised this evidence. Four relevant publication databases (Embase, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus) were systematically searched to identify studies of prenatal mercury exposure and birth weight, birth length, or head circumference. Study quality was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool, and results synthesised in a narrative review. Twenty-seven studies met the review criteria, these were in 17 countries and used 8 types of mercury biomarker. Studies of birth weight (total = 27) involving populations with high levels of mercury exposure, non-linear methods, or identified as high quality were more likely to report an association with mercury, but overall results were inconsistent. Most studies reported no strong evidence of association between mercury and birth length (n = 14) or head circumference (n = 14). Overall, our review did not identify strong evidence that mercury exposure leads to impaired prenatal growth, although there was some evidence of a negative association of mercury with birth weight.

Suggested Citation

  • Kyle Dack & Matthew Fell & Caroline M. Taylor & Alexandra Havdahl & Sarah J. Lewis, 2021. "Mercury and Prenatal Growth: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-19, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:7140-:d:588077
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/7140/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/7140/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mohammad H. Rahbar & Maureen Samms-Vaughan & Aisha S. Dickerson & Manouchehr Hessabi & Jan Bressler & Charlene Coore Desai & Sydonnie Shakespeare-Pellington & Jody-Ann Reece & Renee Morgan & Katherine, 2015. "Concentration of Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Aluminum, Arsenic and Manganese in Umbilical Cord Blood of Jamaican Newborns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-21, April.
    2. Gaitree K. Baldewsingh & Jeffrey K. Wickliffe & Edward D. van Eer & Arti Shankar & Ashna D. Hindori-Mohangoo & Emily W. Harville & Hannah H. Covert & Lizheng Shi & Maureen Y. Lichtveld & Wilco C.W.R. , 2020. "Prenatal Mercury Exposure in Pregnant Women from Suriname’s Interior and Its Effects on Birth Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-12, June.
    3. Ganiyu Olatunbosun Arinola & Anindita Dutta & Oluwafemi Oluwole & Christopher O. Olopade, 2018. "Household Air Pollution, Levels of Micronutrients and Heavy Metals in Cord and Maternal Blood, and Pregnancy Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Rejane C. Marques & José V. E. Bernardi & José G. Dórea & Katiane G. Brandão & Lucélia Bueno & Renata S. Leão & Olaf Malm, 2013. "Fish Consumption during Pregnancy, Mercury Transfer, and Birth Weight along the Madeira River Basin in Amazonia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-14, May.
    5. Marie Camerota & Kenneth A Bollen, 2016. "Birth Weight, Birth Length, and Gestational Age as Indicators of Favorable Fetal Growth Conditions in a US Sample," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(4), pages 1-15, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Maria Dettwiler & Angela C. Flynn & Jessica Rigutto-Farebrother, 2023. "Effects of Non-Essential “Toxic” Trace Elements on Pregnancy Outcomes: A Narrative Overview of Recent Literature Syntheses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-16, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wahida Kihal-Talantikite & Pauline Le Nouveau & Pierre Legendre & Denis Zmirou Navier & Arlette Danzon & Marion Carayol & Séverine Deguen, 2019. "Adverse Birth Outcomes as Indicators of Poor Fetal Growth Conditions in a French Newborn Population—A Stratified Analysis by Neighborhood Deprivation Level," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Mohammad H. Rahbar & Maureen Samms-Vaughan & Manouchehr Hessabi & Aisha S. Dickerson & MinJae Lee & Jan Bressler & Sara E. Tomechko & Emily K. Moreno & Katherine A. Loveland & Charlene Coore Desai & S, 2016. "Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Organochlorine Pesticides in Umbilical Cord Blood Serum of Newborns in Kingston, Jamaica," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-11, October.
    3. Ahmed Elwaleed & Huiho Jeong & Ali H. Abdelbagi & Nguyen Thi Quynh & Willy Cahya Nugraha & Tetsuro Agusa & Yasuhiro Ishibashi & Koji Arizono, 2024. "Assessment of Mercury Contamination in Water and Soil from Informal Artisanal Gold Mining: Implications for Environmental and Human Health in Darmali Area, Sudan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-16, May.
    4. Alicia K. Peterson & Claudia M. Toledo-Corral & Thomas A. Chavez & Christine H. Naya & Mark Johnson & Sandrah P. Eckel & Deborah Lerner & Brendan H. Grubbs & Shohreh F. Farzan & Genevieve F. Dunton & , 2020. "Prenatal Maternal Cortisol Levels and Infant Birth Weight in a Predominately Low-Income Hispanic Cohort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-13, September.
    5. Joshua Epuitai & Katherine E. Woolley & Suzanne E. Bartington & G. Neil Thomas, 2022. "Association between Wood and Other Biomass Fuels and Risk of Low Birthweight in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, April.
    6. Keith Schofield, 2017. "The Metal Neurotoxins: An Important Role in Current Human Neural Epidemics?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-23, December.
    7. Mônica P. L. Cunha & Rejane C. Marques & José G. Dórea, 2017. "Child Nutritional Status in the Changing Socioeconomic Region of the Northern Amazon, Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    8. Thayssa C. S. Bello & Rafael J. Buralli & Mônica P. L. Cunha & José G. Dórea & Fredi A. Diaz-Quijano & Jean R. D. Guimarães & Rejane C. Marques, 2023. "Mercury Exposure in Women of Reproductive Age in Rondônia State, Amazon Region, Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-13, March.
    9. Muflihatul Muniroh & Saekhol Bakri & Ainun Rahmasari Gumay & Julian Dewantiningrum & Mulyono Mulyono & Hardian Hardian & Megumi Yamamoto & Chihaya Koriyama, 2022. "The First Exposure Assessment of Mercury Levels in Hair among Pregnant Women and Its Effects on Birth Weight and Length in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-14, August.
    10. Gaitree K. Baldewsingh & Ashna D. Hindori-Mohangoo & Edward D. van Eer & Hannah H. Covert & Arti Shankar & Jeffrey K. Wickliffe & Lizheng Shi & Maureen Y. Lichtveld & Wilco C. W. R. Zijlmans, 2021. "Association of Mercury Exposure and Maternal Sociodemographics on Birth Outcomes of Indigenous and Tribal Women in Suriname," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-17, June.
    11. Youngrin Kwag & Shinhee Ye & Jongmin Oh & Dong-Wook Lee & Wonho Yang & Yangho Kim & Eunhee Ha, 2021. "Direct and Indirect Effects of Indoor Particulate Matter on Blood Indicators Related to Anemia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-12, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:7140-:d:588077. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.