title: Mercury exposure of mothers and newborns in Surinam: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study mercury levels in hair from mothers and newborns in Surinam.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hair and urine was collected from thirty-nine mothers of different ethnicity and hair from their newborns. The women delivered in a large hospital in the capital. Mercury analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen (36%) of the mothers had elevated Hg concentrations in the hair as compared with a reference US population. Thirty-one newborns (80%) presented with a higher mercury level in hair than their mothers. A positive correlation existed between the hair levels of the mothers and their newborns. Urine Hg concentrations were not elevated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mercury accumulates during pregnancy in the unborn. Further study is needed to elucidate the background and consequences of this finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lands Hospital, Paramaribo, Surinam.
authors.forename: Satish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiller
authors.forename: Gijsbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van der Voet
authors.forename: Humphrey
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanhai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D011247:Pregnancy; D013532:Suriname
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008628:Mercury