Fish Consumption during Pregnancy, Mercury Transfer, and Birth Weight along the Madeira River Basin in Amazonia

Abstract

Birth weight can be a predictor of maternal health issues related to nutrition and environmental contaminants. Total hair mercury (HHg) concentration was studied as an indicator of both fish consumption and methylmercury exposure in mothers (and newborns) living in selected low income areas of the Madeira River basin, Amazonia, Brazil. This cohort study (n = 1,433) consisted of traditional riverines (n = 396), riverines who had moved to urban (n = 676) and rural (n = 67) settings, and tin miner settlers (n = 294). Median maternal HHg was significantly different (p = 0.00001) between riverine (12.1 µg·g−1), rural (7.82 µg·g−1), urban (5.4 µg·g−1), and tin miner (4.5 µg·g−1) groups studied. The same trend (of medians) was observed for newborns’ HHg which also showed significant differences between riverine (3.0 µg·g−1), rural (2.0 µg·g−1), urban (1.5 µg·g−1), and tin miner (0.8 µg·g−1) groups. The correlation between maternal and newborn HHg was statistically significant in the riverine (r = 0.8952; p = 0.0001), urban (r = 0.6744; p = 0.0001), and rural (r = 0.8416; p = 0.0001) groups but not in the mother-infant pairs in the tin miner group (r = 0.0638; p = 0.2752). Birth weight was significantly different among groups but did not show a pattern consistent with that of fish consumption (and HHg). A multiple regression analysis showed that only family income and gestational age had a significant impact on birth weight. Conclusions: Maternal HHg is an important biomarker of maternal fish consumption and of methylmercury exposure during pregnancy. However, in these Amazonian groups, only maternal education and gestational age seemed to affect birth weight positively.

A Systematic Review of the Effects of Environmental Pollutants, Chemical Factors, and Climate Changes on Children’s Height

“…Not long ago, genetic was supposed as the only determinant of height stature of children. Contrary to this hypothesis, studies, in which inheritance was assumed as the main reason of shortness, have mentioned positive changes in children's height by altering some environmental conditions, thus height is not merely affected by genetic factors (1)(2)(3)(4). Hormonal factors are other influential factors of height growth.…”

“…In another study, the family fish consumption was not in accordance with mental development and linear growth of less than five -year -old children (3).…”

“…Chemical factors, such as Arsenic, can enter the body through water and inspiration has been shown to affect children's growth (3,4).…”

Benefits of Fish Consumption for Healthy and Balanced Nutrition During Lifelong Time

“…Doğum öncesinde annenin balık tüketimiyle küçük miktarlarda MeHg'ya maruziyeti ile doğum sonrası nörogelişim arasında ilişki hakkında belirsizlik olmasına rağmen Amerika Birleşik Devletleri Gıda ve İlaç Dairesi (FDA) gebelik sırasında balık tüketiminin özellikle yüksek seviyelerde MeHg içerenlerin sınırlandırıl-masını tavsiye etmektedir (Food & Administration, 2004). Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (DSÖ) tolere edilebilir günlük cıva miktarını 2.5 μg/g olarak önermiştir (Marques et al, 2013).…”

Recreational Angler Perspectives of Nonnative Fish Species and Mercury Advisories

“…High levels of toxicity can cause reproductive failure, which has been observed in wildlife and humans alike (Tan et al 2009). Low exposure levels of MeHg have also been associated with impaired prenatal and neonatal brain development and low birth weight (Grandjean et al 1997, 2010, Suzuki et al 2010, Marques et al 2013. Thus, government agencies are compelled to warn the public on potential Hg toxicity.…”