Role of Lead and Cadmium in Early fetal demise: A cross sectional study
Abstract
Objective: To assess the role of environmental pollution by heavy metals (lead & cadmium) in cases of early fetal demise
Study design: cross section study
Participants & Methods: This study conducted at Fayoum Governorate, Egypt in which, one hundred women with missed abortion were compared with fifty matching women coming for antenatal care as a control group. Residual cadmium and lead were measured in blood samples and placental tissue. Blood lead level is considered acceptable up to 10μg/dl. Rosen, 1995) and Blood cadmium level is considered acceptable up to 0.015ppm.
Results: The mean blood level values of both lead and cadmium were higher in early fetal demise (EFD) women than that of the control group (149.4 ± 88.0 µg/dl versus 105.4 ± 29.9 µg/dl & 1.5 ± 0.76 ppm versus 0.01 ± 0.06ppm). The same was found in placental cadmium level, however the reverse was found in placental lead level as it was higher in control group than EFD group, however, this was statistically insignificant(P>0.05).
Conclusion: It seems that there is an association between early fetal demise and maternal blood levels, as well as, remnant of conception levels of both lead and cadmium. This association may explain some of the unclear etiology of the early fetal losses.
Study design: cross section study
Participants & Methods: This study conducted at Fayoum Governorate, Egypt in which, one hundred women with missed abortion were compared with fifty matching women coming for antenatal care as a control group. Residual cadmium and lead were measured in blood samples and placental tissue. Blood lead level is considered acceptable up to 10μg/dl. Rosen, 1995) and Blood cadmium level is considered acceptable up to 0.015ppm.
Results: The mean blood level values of both lead and cadmium were higher in early fetal demise (EFD) women than that of the control group (149.4 ± 88.0 µg/dl versus 105.4 ± 29.9 µg/dl & 1.5 ± 0.76 ppm versus 0.01 ± 0.06ppm). The same was found in placental cadmium level, however the reverse was found in placental lead level as it was higher in control group than EFD group, however, this was statistically insignificant(P>0.05).
Conclusion: It seems that there is an association between early fetal demise and maternal blood levels, as well as, remnant of conception levels of both lead and cadmium. This association may explain some of the unclear etiology of the early fetal losses.