ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effects of maternal exposure to cadmium on pregnancy outcome and breast milk

M Nishijo¹, H Nakagawa¹, R Honda², K Tanebe³, S Saito³, H Teranishi⁴, K Tawara¹

¹ Department of Public Health, Kanazawa Medical University, Uchinada, Ishikawa, Japan
² Department of Hygiene, Kanazawa Medical University, Uchinada, Ishikawa, Japan
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan
⁴ Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan

Correspondence to:
Correspondent to:
Dr M Nishijo, Department of Public Health, Kanazawa Medical University, 1–1, Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920–0293, Japan;
ni-koei{at} kanazawa-med.ac.jp

Objective: The effects of cadmium (Cd) on birth weight have been discussed in the scientific literature. However, investigations on the effects of maternal body burden of Cd on the next generation during pregnancy and lactation have been limited. The relation between maternal exposure to Cd and pregnancy outcome or Cd in breast milk in Japanese mothers was investigated.

Methods: Cd concentrations in urine and colostrum milk samples of 57 mothers were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometery. The relations between maternal urinary Cd and infant growth, gestational age at birth, and Cd in breast milk were investigated.

Results: The rate of perterm deliveries of mothers with higher urinary Cd (2 nmol/mmol creatinine (Cr)) was higher than that of mothers with lower urinary Cd (<2 nmol/mmol Cr). The gestational age was significantly correlated with urinary Cd even after adjustment for maternal age. The height and weight of newborn infants of mothers with higher urinary Cd were significantly lower than those of the newborn infants of mothers with lower urinary Cd, but these decreases were ascribed to early delivery induced by Cd. The Cd in breast milk of mothers with higher urinary Cd was significantly higher than that of mothers with lower urinary Cd. A significant positive correlation was found between maternal urinary Cd and Cd in breast milk.

Conclusion: Maternal exposure to Cd seems to increase early delivery, which leads to a lower birth weight. Also, the Cd is transferred in part to the next generation through breast milk after birth.

Keywords: cadmium; pregnancy outcome; breast milk

---

 

COMMENTARY

Otto Wong⁵

⁵ Applied Health Sciences, Inc., 181 Second Avenue, Suite 628,PO Box 2078, San Mateo, California 94401, USA; ottowong{at}aol.com

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Cui, Y., Freedman, J. H. (2009). Cadmium Induces Retinoic Acid Signaling by Regulating Retinoic Acid Metabolic Gene Expression. J. Biol. Chem. 284: 24925-24932 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Henson, M. C., Chedrese, P. J. (2004). Endocrine Disruption by Cadmium, a Common Environmental Toxicant with Paradoxical Effects on Reproduction. Exp. Biol. Med. 229: 383-392 [Abstract] [Full Text]