title: Exposure of methyl mercury in utero and the risk of neural tube defects in a Chinese population.
abstract: To determine if exposure to methyl mercury (MeHg) in utero is associated with an elevated risk of neural tube defects (NTDs), we measured its concentration in the placentas of 36 anencephalic and 44 spina bifida cases, as well as in 50 healthy controls. The median MeHg concentration in NTD cases (0.49ng/g) was higher than that in controls (0.33ng/g). The crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for a MeHg concentration above the median were 3.54 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.68-7.49) and 3.64 (95% CI, 1.66-7.99), respectively. Both anencephaly and spina bifida subtypes had higher levels of MeHg than the controls. NTD risk increased for subjects in the second and third highest tertile of MeHg concentrations, with an OR of 2.24 (95% CI, 0.93-5.40) and 2.85 (95% CI, 1.17-6.94), respectively. In summary, higher placental levels of MeHg are associated with an elevated risk of NTDs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, China. Electronic address: jinlei@bjm.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Urban Environment and Ecology Research Center, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences (SCIES), Ministry of Environmental Protection, China. Electronic address: 13480210923@126.com.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, China. Electronic address: zhangle@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, China. Electronic address: lizw@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhiwen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, China. Electronic address: jingrushuishui@163.com.
authors.forename: Jingru
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, China. Electronic address: liujm@pku.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jianmeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, China. Electronic address: yerw@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Rrongwei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Urban Environment and Ecology Research Center, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences (SCIES), Ministry of Environmental Protection, China. Electronic address: chenlaiguo@scies.org.
authors.forename: Laiguo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, China. Electronic address: renag@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Aiguo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ren
mesh_terms: D000757:Anencephaly / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds
keywords: Birth defects; Methyl mercury; Neural tube defects; Placenta