Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the concentration and the reference ranges of essential and toxic elements in amniotic fluid (AF) and maternal serum (MS) at birth. This study was conducted among 175 healthy pregnant Caucasian European women aged 18–42. AF and maternal blood samples were collected during delivery. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique was used to determine the levels of Mg, Co, Cu, Zn, Sr, Cd, Ba, Pb, U, Ca, Cr, Al, Mn, V, Fe, As, Se and Sb in AF and MS. The range of reference values was calculated for all analyzed elements in the serum and AF. The mean concentrations of elements, except Pb, were generally higher in MS than in AF. Multiple regression analysis showed that the maternal/newborn body mass (MBM/NBM) ratio was a strong negative predictor (among maternal age and gravidity) of Mg concentration in amniotic fluid. In the serum, MBN/NBM ratio was a strong positive predictor of Cu concentration. Moreover, regression analysis showed that maternal age was an independent positive predictor of the Se level in maternal serum. The reference value ranges of 18 essential and toxic elements were established in AF and MS among a population of healthy pregnant Polish women at delivery. The level of Mg, Co, Cu, Ca and Se in AF and MS can be determined by maternal age and MBM/NBM ratio. These results can be useful in counseling individuals with pregnancies affected by exposure to one of the parameters under investigation.
Highlights
The composition of amniotic fluid (AF) is important for fetal development and reflects both maternal and fetal compartments
The reference values of the 18 elements in the AF and maternal serum (MS) for pregnant women at delivery are listed in Tables 3 and 4
Several factors such as maternal age, maternal body mass, newborn body mass, the maternal body mass/newborn body mass (MBM/NBM) ratio, gravidity, parity and gender were assessed to determine the concentration of elements in AF and MS using regression analysis
Summary
The composition of amniotic fluid (AF) is important for fetal development and reflects both maternal and fetal compartments. Inadequate quantities of micro- and macro-minerals as well as overexposure to toxic elements could be detrimental to the health of both the pregnant woman and the fetus. An evaluation of the concentration of trace elements in maternal blood and amniotic fluid was performed in different countries and populations [6,7,8,9,10,11]. Differences between these data occur that are mainly caused by differences in regions (e.g. Europe vs Asia), environmental factors and racial differences as well as week of gestation, eating behavior and health status of the women
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