Longitudinal study of pregnant women to elucidate the effect of toxic trace elements on pregnancy, delivery and newborn

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25862205
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Lifelong developmental nursing
• Research Institution: National Defense Medical College (2015); Kobe University (2013-2014)
• Principal Investigator: NISHIOKA Emiko 防衛医科大学校(医学教育部医学科進学課程及び専門課程、動物実験施設、共同利用研究, その他部局等, 教授 (70550797)
• Research Collaborator: YOKOYAMA Kazuhito 順天堂大学, 医学部衛生学講座, 教授 ; MATSUKAWA Takehisa 順天堂大学, 医学部衛生学講座, 助教 ; Vigeh Mohsen 独立行政法人労働安全衛生研究所, 有害性評価研究グループ, 研究員 ; MIIDA Takashi 順天堂大学, 医学部臨床検査医学講座, 教授 ; HIRAYAMA Satoshi 順天堂大学, 医学部臨床検査医学講座, 准教授 ; UENO Tsuyoshi 順天堂大学, 医学部臨床検査医学講座, 協力研究員 ; TAKEDA Satoru 順天堂大学, 医学部産婦人科学講座, 教授 ; MAKINO Shintaro 順天堂大学, 医学部産婦人科学講座, 准教授
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 母性・女性看護学 / 妊娠 / 分娩 / 新生児 / 微量元素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To assess the relationship between birth weight and maternal blood lead levels　(BPb), 386 pregnant women, aged 34.5 ± 4.8 (21-46) years, and their newborns were　surveyed. Maternal BPb concentrations were 0.98 ± 0.55 (0.049 - 3.99), 0.92 ± 0.63 (0.049 - 3.96), and 0.99 ± 0.66 (0.049-3.96) μg/dl at 12, 25 and 36th weeks of gestation, respectively. Gestational ages at the delivery of newborns (197 males and 189 females) were 38.9 ± 1.3 weeks (35-41). In male newborns, significant correlation between birth weight and logBPb at 12th of gestation was observed (rs = -0.145, p<0.05). Results of multiple regression analysis indicated that birth weight was significantly related to log BPb at 12th weeks of gestation, controlling for possible confounding variables. It is thus suggested that low-level exposure to lead at an early stage of gestation could be a risk factor for low birth weight in male fetus.

Free Research Field

母性看護学・助産学