title: Does prenatal cadmium exposure affect fetal and child growth?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cadmium is known to be a significant health hazard, but most information comes from studies of adults. The effects of exposure to cadmium during fetal life on early growth and development remain uncertain. In this study we investigated the placental transport of cadmium and the effects of prenatal cadmium exposure on fetal and child growth in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data in this study were from a birth cohort study in Taiwan which started in 2004. Pregnant women were recruited from four hospitals and interviewed after delivery to collect information on themselves and their infants. Children were followed up to obtain information on growth up to 3years of age. Whole blood cadmium concentrations in maternal and cord blood samples were measured and the relationship with birth size and growth assessed using linear regression and mixed models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  321 maternal blood samples and 402 cord blood samples were eligible for analysis. Among 289 pairs with maternal and cord blood suitable for measurement, the median cadmium concentration in cord blood (0.31μg/l) was less than that in maternal blood (1.05μg/l), with low correlation between the two (r=0.04). An increase in cord blood cadmium was found to be associated with newborn decreased head circumference and to be significantly and consistently associated with a decrease in height, weight and head circumference up to 3 years of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Placental transport of cadmium is limited. However, prenatal cadmium exposure may have a detrimental effect on head circumference at birth and child growth in the first 3years of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: Chien-Mu
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Duolao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yaw-Huei
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Pau-Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D049628:Body Size / Q000187:drug effects*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000097:blood*; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium