title: [Fetal and perinatal exposure to mercury and selenium: baseline evaluation of a cohort of children in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  neurotoxicity of prenatal exposure to high concentrations of mercury (Hg) is well known; however, the doseresponse relationship at low exposure levels has not been quantified yet. This article illustrates the measurement of prenatal exposure to Hg and the pathway of exposure through the diet in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  description of a prospective cohort at the baseline.
  
  
  METHODS
  242 mother- infant pairs living in Friuli Venezia Giulia were enrolled between 1999 and 2001.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the concentrations of Hg in the hair of mothers and children and of Hg and selenium (Se) in breast milk. The diet during pregnancy was estimated through a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with a detailed section regarding fish. We calculated the correlations between Hg and Se in the biological samples and estimated the association between Hg concentrations and fish consumption.
  
  
  RESULTS
  in general, Hg levels in hair and milk were positively associated with the consumption of fish from the lagoon of Grado and Marano. However, they were low in comparison with those of other fish-eating populations and below theWHO alert limits, likely because of the small consumption of fish among pregnant women, estimated from the FFQ. The concentration of Se in milk was also smaller than that reported in other international studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  in Friuli Venezia Giulia, fetal and perinatal Hg exposure is low. The children of the cohort will be followed- up at school age to measure possible neurodevelopmental effects of such low exposures to Hg.
authors: Struttura operativa complessa di igiene ed epidemiologia clinica, Azienda ospedaliero-universitaria Santa Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy. francesca.valent@uniud.it
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Valent
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Pisa
authors: Marika
authors: M
authors: Mariuz
authors: Milena
authors: M
authors: Horvat
authors: Darja
authors: D
authors: Gibicar
authors: Vesna
authors: V
authors: Fajon
authors: Darja
authors: D
authors: Mazej
authors: Fulvio
authors: F
authors: Daris
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Barbone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D005399:Fishes; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005506:Food Contamination; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017747:Seafood / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D012643:Selenium / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D009498:Neurotoxins; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium