title: Factors associated with total mercury concentrations in maternal blood, cord blood, and breast milk among pregnant women in Busan, Korea.
abstract: This study investigated the concentration of total mercury (THg) in maternal blood, cord blood, and breast milk, and its association with dietary factors. A total of 127 pregnant women in Busan, Korea were recruited. Maternal blood, cord blood, and breast milk were collected at 36 weeks of gestation, at delivery, and at one week after birth, respectively. Information about dietary habits and other factors were obtained from each subject. The mean THg concentrations in maternal blood, cord blood, and breast milk were 3.12±1.36 μg/L, 5.46±2.41 μg/L, and 0.91±2.08 μg/L, respectively. Positive correlations were found between log-transformed THg concentrations in maternal blood and cord blood (r=0.829, p<0.001), and between maternal blood and breast milk (r=0.296, p=0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the log-transformed concentration of THg in maternal blood was positively correlated with fish consumption (β=0.345, p<0.0001) and negatively correlated with bean consumption (β=-0.055, p=0.048). Fish consumption (β=0.482, p<0.0001) and maternal age (β=0.025, p=0.033) were positively associated with the concentration of THg in cord blood, while negative correlations were found for bean consumption (β=-0.134, p=0.027) and parity (β=-0.172, p=0.015). Beef consumption (β=0.031, p=0.007) was positively associated with log-transformed THg concentrations in breast milk, while negative correlations were found for bean consumption (β=-0.019, p=0.003) and maternal age (β=-0.083, p=0.004). Our study found that both the dietary and demographic factors differently affected to THg concentrations among samples of maternal blood, cord blood, and breast milk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoojun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea. Email: lck3303@daum.net.
authors.forename: Chae-Kwan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kun-Hyung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Se-Yeong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dae-Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sangyoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury