Pregnancy: Metal exposure may lead to preterm births and pre-eclampsia in pregnant women

A new study published in the journal Environmental International shows that some metals such as nickel, arsenic, cobalt and lead may disrupt a woman's hormones during pregnancy.

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A new study published in the journal Environmental International shows that some metals such as nickel, arsenic, cobalt and lead may disrupt a woman's hormones during pregnancy. This can lead to children's later health and diseases risk.

This new study found that exposure to metals may lead to problems such as pre-term births and low birth weight in babies, and pre-eclampsia in women. However, little is known about the exact effects of metal exposure on a pregnant woman and the baby.

It has been reported that some metals may disrupt the endocrine system, which is responsible for regulating your body's hormones.

"A delicate hormonal balance orchestrates pregnancy from conception to delivery and perturbations of this balance may negatively impact both mother and foetus," said lead author Zorimar Rivera-Nunez, Assistant Professor at the Rutgers University in the US.

For the study, the researchers analysed the blood and urine samples of 815 women who were enrolled in the Puerto Rico Test site for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) study.

Metal Exposure May Alter Prenatal Hormone Concentrations During Pregnancy

The researchers found that metals may act as endocrine disruptors by altering prenatal hormone concentrations during pregnancy, which depends on when in the pregnancy, the mother was exposed to these metals.

It was found that pregnant women living in Puerto Rico were at a higher risk due to greater exposure to metal than those in the continental United States.

Study author Rivera-Nunez said that women in Puerto Rico have significantly higher rates of pre-term births (nearly 12 per cent) and other adverse birth outcomes, which is important and concerning.

Heavy Metal Exposure May Also Lead To Male Infertility

Another study published in the Iranian Journal of Reproductive Medicine also found that exposure to lead may lead to male infertility. It can decrease sperm count and motility, inducing abnormal morphology and affecting functional parameters.

Another study done by researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that higher levels of cadmium in females and lead in men lead to delayed pregnancy in couples.

Cadmium generally found in cigarettes is a toxic metal that puts you at risk of problems related to pregnancy. Lead, on the other hand, can affect human fertility. It is commonly found in lead-glazed pottery, older homes, contaminated soil, and contaminated drinking water.

Exposure to these metals can affect your health in more ways than one, but its effects on fertility have not been extensively studied. More research is required to know about the exact effects of metal exposure on pregnancy.

(with inputs from IANS)