Abstract
In this study, the concentrations of some essential (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, and Zn) and non-essential metals (Cd and Pb) were determined in blood of pregnant women aged between 15 – 45 years and enrolled at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile – Ife, Nigeria, for antenatal care. Fifty samples of whole blood were collected from the pregnant women and twenty five samples from non pregnant women as control. Levels of essential and non- essential metals were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The analyses were performed in order to assess the body burden of pregnant women with the metals and the health implications of the latter to pregnant women and their fetuses. Data analysis by descriptive and inferential statistics revealed that age, education, and profession correlate with the levels of the metals. The mean levels of the two non-essential metals obtained in this study were lower than the recommended limits for whole blood. While compared with other studies of pregnant women elsewhere results obtain were generally higher. Generally the values obtained in this study have indicated no serious body burden on the pregnant women. The importance of establishing factors that influence low human exposure concentrations is becoming critical in efforts to reduce exposures and hence the potential for adverse health effects. ©JASEM
Highlights
In recent years awareness has raised that essential and non-essential metals play an important role, as beneficial as well as harmful, for human health
The results of the recovery experiment for blood samples using the microwave induced acid digestion method were obtained as percentage recoveries of Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn and are presented in Figure 1 the percentage recoveries of the metals ranged from 79% Cd to 99%Zn
Based on the age group (Figure 2) this study revealed that women within age group of 25–29 represent the largest population (19 people) constituting 38% of all the pregnant women whose blood was analysed
Summary
In recent years awareness has raised that essential and non-essential metals play an important role, as beneficial as well as harmful, for human health. This knowledge has challenged some of our old concepts about the causes of health problems and nutritional concepts (Hinwood et al 2013, Isabelle et al 2013, Boekelheide et al 2013). The physiological importance of micrometals and macro metals in human organism is well documented (Ezen and Kragelj 2006, Ogunfowokan et al 2008). Different conditions that prevent the development of changes in blood plasma concentrations of micrometals that occur during prolonged restriction of muscular activity have been evaluated
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