Blood mercury concentrations in pregnant and non-pregnant women in the United States; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2006

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Am J Obstet Gynecol
• Personal Author:
  Razzaghi, Hilda ; Tinker, Sarah C. ; Crider, Krista
• Description:
  Background
  
  Prenatal exposure to methylmercury is associated with adverse neurological development in children. We examined total blood mercury (BHg) concentrations and predictors of higher BHg concentrations in pregnant and non-pregnant women.
  
  Methods
  
  We analyzed data from 1,183 pregnant and 5,587 non-pregnant women aged 16–49 years from the 1999–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We estimated geometric mean BHg concentrations and characteristics associated with higher mercury concentrations (≥3.5 μg/L) in crude and adjusted linear and logistic regression models.
  
  Results
  
  After adjusting for age and race/ethnicity, geometric mean BHg concentrations were clinically similar but significantly lower for pregnant (0.81 μg/L, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71, 0.91) and non-pregnant women of childbearing age (0.93 μg/L, 95% CI: 0.87, 0.99); 94% of pregnant and 89% of non-pregnant women had BHg concentrations below 3.5 μg/L. The most significant predictor of higher BHg concentrations for both pregnant and non-pregnant women was any seafood consumption vs. no consumption in the last 30 days (Odds ratio [OR]: 18.7, 95% CI: 4.9, 71.1; OR: 15.5, 95% CI: 7.5, 32.1, respectively). Other characteristics associated with ≥3.5 μg/L BHg concentrations were older age (35+ years), higher education (greater than high school), and higher family income to poverty ratio (3.501+) for both pregnant and non-pregnant women.
  
  Conclusion
  
  Pregnancy status was not strongly associated with BHg concentrations in women of childbearing age and BHg concentrations above the 3.5 μg/L cut were uncommon.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Age Factors Educational Status Female Health Surveys Humans Income Logistic Models Mercury Middle Aged Pregnancy Seafood Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  Am J Obstet Gynecol. 210(4):357.e1-357.e9
• Pubmed ID:
  24189168
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4626878
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
• Name as Subject:
  National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (U.S.) ; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (U.S.)
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Volume:
  210
• Issue:
  4
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:49461dadae646ca4865254bc6162052cca035ec85a59d3585ac12a707f53cca4
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/36336/cdc_36336_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.30 MB ]