Effects Of Cadmium And Lead Exposure On Pregnancy Outcome And Development In The Offspring

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential effects of cadmium and lead exposure during gestation period and preschool age on the fetus and preschool age children development(including physical development and intelligence quotient) and study the interaction between cadmium,lead and nutritional elements.The Follow-Up Studies was conducted among the neonates who entered the cohort from November 2002 to November 2003.Follow-up information about their children's development was obtained when the children were on average 54±3 months of age.Three children were excluded,one of them changed residence,the other two died from leukemia and drowning respectively.106 children were followed-up and all these children lived in their birthplace.The follow-up questionnaire and interview provided the necessary information about the children's general state of health and general state of growth development and so on.The performance,Verbal and Full IQ scores from the WPPSI-R administered were used to evaluate IQ development of these children.Preschool age hair samples were collected.Cadmium,lead,calcium,iron,zinc,selenium and copper were determined by ICP-MS and F-AAS.Certified Reference Materials and parallel samples analysis were used for quality control.The maternal epidemiological study data and maternal elements level data were used when we did statistical analysis.Microsoft Excel 2003 was used for the import of all the data,and SPSS16.0 was applied for statistical analysis.Analysis of correlation analysis,t-test,analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted to analysis effects of cadmium and lead exposure on pregnancy outcome and development in the offspring during the period of pregnancy and preschool age.These analysis methods were also used to evaluate the interaction between toxic elements cadmium and lead,the interaction between nutritional elements and toxic elements.Cadmium concentrations in cord blood were lower than that in maternal blood. Simple correlation was showed between cord blood cadmium and maternal blood, between cord blood lead and maternal blood lead.The increase of maternal calcium has antagonistic action on the placental lead transport.There was synergistic action between maternal cadmium and maternal lead during placental transport. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that cord blood cadmium level was significantly negatively correlated with fetus development.No significant correlations were found between cord blood lead level and fetus development and later preschool age development.Maternal selenium,maternal zinc and maternal copper have antagonistic action on cadmium toxic effect on neonatal length and height.Significantly negative correlation was found between cord blood cadmium exposure and WPPSI-R IQ full score,performance score after controlling for confounding variables.Significantly negative correlation was found between cord blood lead exposure and WPPSI-R IQ full score after controlling for confounding variables.Cord blood lead has effects on the performance score.With the increasing of hair cadmium level,the height and WPPSI-R IQ full score of preschool children decreased.Similarly,with the increasing of hair lead level,the performance score and WPPSI-R IQ full score decreased. Hair calcium level has antagonistic action on lead toxic of decreasing the performance score effect.Cord blood cadmium ~*cord blood lead,hair cadmium~*hair lead has effects on full score and performance score,cadmium and lead has synergistic reaction.In summary,the study explored the effects of cadmium and lead exposure during pregnancy period and preschool age on the fetus and preschool age children development, and study the interaction between toxic elements and nutrition elements,between toxic elements cadmium and lead.It was concluded that cord blood cadmium concentration was a factor influenced fetus growth and later IQ development.Cord blood lead level was a factor influenced children IQ development.There were complex interactions among zinc,selenium,copper and lead,cadmium.Through follow-up study,the interaction of cadmium and lead was studied for the first time.The potential effects of cadmium and lead exposure during gestation period and preschool age on the fetus and preschool age children development were studied. Increase the understanding of the interaction between nutrient elements and toxic elements cadmium,lead.It will provide effectually intervention study to prevent the side-effect on people.