The First Exposure Assessment of Mercury Levels in Hair among Pregnant Women and Its Effects on Birth Weight and Length in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia

• Published in: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 19; no. 17; p. 10684
• Main Authors: Muniroh, Muflihatul, Bakri, Saekhol, Gumay, Ainun Rahmasari, Dewantiningrum, Julian, Mulyono, Mulyono, Hardian, Hardian, Yamamoto, Megumi, Koriyama, Chihaya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27.08.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Animals; Birth Weight; Cohort Studies; Female; Fetuses; Fishes; Food Contamination; Hair; Hair - chemistry; hair mercury level; pregnant women; birth weight and length; Indonesia; fish consumption; Humans; Indonesia; Maternal & child health; Mercury; Mercury - analysis; Methylmercury Compounds; Methylmercury Compounds - analysis; Population; Pregnancy; Pregnant Women; Questionnaires; Sea level; Seafood; Womens health; Indonesia; United States > US; Central Java Indonesia; Japan; pregnant women; hair mercury level; fish consumption; birth weight and length; Indonesia
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710684

(1) Background: Methylmercury (MeHg) exposure during pregnancy is an important issue due to its possible adverse health effects on fetus. To contribute the development of assessment system of Hg exposure through fish consumption and health effects on children, we examined the hair Hg levels in pregnant women and birth weight and length. (2) Methods: In 2018, a cohort study was conducted on 118 pregnant women-infant pairs from six community health centers in the northern coastal area in Central Java Indonesia. Data on mothers’ characteristics during pregnancy, birth outcomes, and fish consumption were collected. Total Hg concentrations were determined from hair samples. (3) Results: The median (min-max) of the maternal hair Hg level was 0.434 (0.146–8.105) µg/g. Pregnant women living in lowland areas, near the sea, showed higher hair Hg concentration and fish consumption than those in highland areas {[0.465 (0.146–8.105) vs. 0.385 (0.150–1.956) µg/g; p = 0.043] and [(85.71 (0–500.0) vs. 49.76 (0.0–428.57) g/day; p < 0.01], respectively}. The maternal hair Hg level had no association with baby’s birth weight and length. (4) Conclusions: The median maternal hair Hg is at a low level and had no association with infant birth weight and length in this study subjects.