Select toxic metals status of pregnant women with history of pregnancy complications in Benin City, South-South Nigeria

Oe Otebhi,Hb Osadolor

doi:10.4314/jasem.v20i1.1

Abstract

Toxic metals are part of the most important groups of environmental pollutants that can bind to vital cellular components and interfere with their functions via inhalation, foods, water etc. The serum levels of toxic metals (lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic) in pregnant women with history of pregnancy complications, pregnant women without history of pregnancy complication and non-pregnant women in Benin City, South – South Nigeria was investigated in this paper, with total of 135 healthy women comprising of 45 pregnant women with history of previous pregnancy complications, 45 pregnant women without history of pregnancy complications and 45 non-pregnant women without history of pregnancy complications (controls). Some demographic characteristics and 4ml of blood samples were obtained from each subject for the analysis of lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic by standard methods. Pregnant women with history of pregnancy complications recorded a highly significant increase in the toxic metal (lead) mean value of 25.81μg/dl as against 23.70μg/dl for pregnant women without history of pregnancy complications and 11.23μg/dl for non-pregnant (control) women without history of pregnancy complications as well as significant increases in the mean values of other toxic metals (mercury, cadmium and arsenic) compared with controls (p<0.001). The selected toxic metals (Pb, Hg, Cd and As) may be involved in the development of pregnancy complications among pregnant women in Benin City, South– South Nigeria. Lead in particular may pose threat to mothers and fetuses as its mean values in the two groups of pregnant women were well above normal. © JASEM Keywords : Toxic metals, pregnant women, History of pregnancy complications.

Highlights

Pregnancy, which is vital in the course of a woman’s life, is a period during which there is high sensitivity to toxic substances
Study Population / Subjects: A total of 135 apparently healthy women comprising of 45 pregnant women with one or more history of previous pregnancy complications and 45 pregnant women without any history of previous pregnancy complications and 45 non-pregnant women without history of pregnancy complication were recruited for this study after obtaining verbal informed consent and ethical clearance from the Edo State Ministry of Health and Central Hospital authority
Women with history of pregnancy complications (PWWHC) were significantly higher than values obtained in pregnant women without history of pregnancy complications (PWWTHC) and nonpregnant women without history of pregnancy complications (NPWWTHC ) (p

Summary

Introduction

Pregnancy, which is vital in the course of a woman’s life, is a period during which there is high sensitivity to toxic substances. In a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease, it was reported that complications of pregnancy resulted in 293000 deaths from 37,700 deaths in 1990 and the common causes are maternal bleeding, complications of abortion, birth defects which are majorly influenced by age, multiple pregnancy and environmental toxicant such as lead, mercury and tobacco, etc (GBD 2013). Toxic metals and poor maternal diet in pregnancy are example of environmental factors that can impact negatively on the human reproductive system. Studies in animals revealed that the increased uptake of lead, cadmium and other toxic metals interfered with the normal pregnancy course and result in abortion among other physiological dysfunctions (Ajayi et al 2012).

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion