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Association between the Concentrations of Metallic Elements in Maternal Blood during Pregnancy and Prevalence of Abdominal Congenital Malformations: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study

Author

Listed:
  • Chihiro Miyashita

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Yasuaki Saijo

    (Department of Social Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka-higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa 078-8510, Japan)

  • Yoshiya Ito

    (Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Hokkaido College of Nursing, 664-1 Akebono-cho, Kitami 090-0011, Japan)

  • Atsuko Ikeda-Araki

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
    Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Sachiko Itoh

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Keiko Yamazaki

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Sumitaka Kobayashi

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Yu Ait Bamai

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Hideyuki Masuda

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Naomi Tamura

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Mariko Itoh

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Takeshi Yamaguchi

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • Shin Yamazaki

    (National Center for the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, National Institute for Environmental Sciences, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan)

  • Reiko Kishi

    (Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan)

  • The Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group

    (The complete membership of the author groups can be found in the Appendix A.)

Abstract

Abdominal congenital malformations are responsible for early mortality, inadequate nutrient intake, and infant biological dysfunction. Exposure to metallic elements in utero is reported to be toxic and negatively impacts ontogeny. However, no prior study has sufficiently evaluated the effects of exposure to metallic elements in utero on abdominal congenital malformations. The aim of the present study was to evaluate associations between metallic elements detected in maternal blood during pregnancy and congenital abdominal malformations. Data from participants in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study was used in the present study, and contained information on singleton and live birth infants without congenital abnormalities (control: n = 89,134) and abdominal malformations (case: n = 139). Heavy metals such as mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and trace elements of manganese (Mn) and selenium (Se) were detected in maternal serum samples during mid- and late-gestation. Infant congenital abnormalities were identified from delivery records at birth or one month after birth by medical doctors. In a multivariate analysis adjusted to account for potential confounders, quartiles of heavy metals and trace elements present in maternal blood were not statistically correlated to the prevalence of abdominal congenital malformations at birth. This study is the first to reveal the absence of significant associations between exposure levels to maternal heavy metals and trace elements in utero and the prevalence of abdominal congenital malformations in a large cohort of the Japanese population. Further studies are necessary to investigate the impact of exposure to heavy metals and trace elements via maternal blood in offspring after birth.

Suggested Citation

  • Chihiro Miyashita & Yasuaki Saijo & Yoshiya Ito & Atsuko Ikeda-Araki & Sachiko Itoh & Keiko Yamazaki & Sumitaka Kobayashi & Yu Ait Bamai & Hideyuki Masuda & Naomi Tamura & Mariko Itoh & Takeshi Yamagu, 2021. "Association between the Concentrations of Metallic Elements in Maternal Blood during Pregnancy and Prevalence of Abdominal Congenital Malformations: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10103-:d:643415
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lin Zhang & Xing-Huan Wang & Xin-Min Zheng & Tong-Zu Liu & Wei-Bin Zhang & Hang Zheng & Mi-Feng Chen, 2015. "Maternal Gestational Smoking, Diabetes, Alcohol Drinking, Pre-Pregnancy Obesity and the Risk of Cryptorchidism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(3), pages 1-17, March.
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