Insufficient supplies of essential micronutrients can lead to a state of biological competition between the mother and conceptus, which can be detrimental to the health status of both. In contrast to these toxic elements, maternal trace element status is important for a healthy pregnancy. The effects can extend to early childhood and may affect the later risk of diseases.

Previous studies have already reported the detrimental association of prenatal arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) exposures with anthropometric parameters of newborns, such as birth weight, birth length, and head circumference. Vulnerable to adverse effects of the surrounding environment, pregnant women and fetuses undergo a daily exposure to pollutants from several pathways. Admittedly, levels of toxic and essential elements in our cohort study were comparatively lower than those in the scientific literature. Furthermore, correlations between paired maternal and cord blood samples for As, Sr, and Mo were statistically significant, indicating that the fetus burden may reflect maternal exposure to some extent.

Similar positively-interacted clusters were found in Zn-Ni-Co, Zn-Ni-Fe, Mn-Al-Pb, Fe-Pb-Mn, Fe-Ni-Cu, and Rb-Cu-Sb-Fe-Mn in cord plasma. Moreover, positively- interacted clusters were found in Ni-Co-Cu-Al-Rb-Zn and Zn-Mn-Al-Pb in maternal blood. Elements as Al, Co, Se, Cu, and Ni showed significantly lower levels in cord than in maternal plasma, while elements as Sr, Fe, Rb, Mn and Zn displayed significantly higher levels in cord than in maternal plasma. Interestingly, concentrations of Rb decreased initially but then increased. Concentrations of Pb, Se, Fe, Zn, and Mo all decreased during pregnancy, while Cu increased. Eighteen elements found in maternal plasma during the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd trimester of pregnancy and paired cord plasma were measured by 7700x ICP-MS (Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA, USA) and Elan DRC type II ICP-MS (The Perkin-Elmer Corporation, Waltham, MA USA). A total of 48 pregnant women of AMA were recruited in Peking University Third Hospital from 2018 to 2021. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate exposure of 18 toxic and/or essential trace elements in maternal plasma and in paired cord plasma during pregnancy at AMA. However, exposure levels and variation patterns during pregnancy remains controversial and attracts extensive public concern. Assessment of trace elements in pregnant women living in specific areas is important for biomonitoring. Pregnant women of advanced maternal age (AMA) are vulnerable to exposure to the surrounding environment.

He Drinks Poison by Laine Cunningham