According to InVS, in France, the exposure of pregnant women and their children to environmental pollutants is decreasing. Results valid for lead, mercury and bisphenol A.
What is the exposure of pregnant women and their children to environmental pollutants? This is the question that the Institut de Veille Sanitaire (InVS) has just answered during two international conferences on the environment and health. And according to these first results, all the indicators are down. From the perinatal component of the national biomonitoring program, these reassuring figures at the national level, in pregnant women, are available for the pollutants lead, mercury and bisphenol A.
An exhibition that has lead in the wings
The exposure to lead of pregnant women and their child in utero was estimated through its biological assay (blood lead) in samples of cord blood, taken from 1,968 mothers at the time of childbirth. As a result, lead was detected in all samples, with an average concentration of 8.30 µg / L.
Conclusion of the InVS, “the levels observed are lower than those measured in previous studies carried out in France and abroad. They are thus in line with the trend of decreasing blood lead levels observed in France and in Europe since the 1990s, following in particular the ban on leaded petrol, ”continues the Institute.
This is good news because “lead is particularly harmful for the developing brain of fetuses and young children and for pregnant women”, explains the WHO. High levels of lead in the blood in children can have “sometimes irreversible consequences, including learning disabilities, behavioral problems and mental retardation.” “
Mixed results for the mercury
Regarding mercury exposure, it was estimated through its biological assay in hair samples taken from 1,799 mothers in the days following childbirth.
Result: almost 98% of the mothers had detectable concentrations of mercury in the hair, with an average of 0.40 µg / g.
Levels “lower or equivalent to those measured in previous studies carried out in France and in Europe in pregnant women or of childbearing age”, but higher than those measured in the United States. “This difference can potentially be explained by different consumption habits of seafood products.”
Mixed results when we know that the WHO classifies mercury as a harmful substance, “especially for pregnant women, infants and children.” As a reminder, data has already shown that in the fetus, infant or child, the main health effect of methyl mercury is the appearance of neurological development disorders. In utero exposure, which may result from the mother’s consumption of fish or shellfish containing methyl mercury, is likely to have adverse effects on the infant’s developing brain and nervous system. Effects on cognition, memory, attention, language, fine motor skills and spatial vision have also been observed in children exposed to methyl mercury in their mother’s womb.
Exposure to bisphenol A decreases
Finally, exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) was estimated through its biological assay in urine samples taken from 1,764 mothers when they were admitted to the maternity ward. And more than 90% of the mothers had detectable levels of BPA in the urine, with an average of 0.70 µg / L.
“These results are lower than those measured in previous studies carried out in France and abroad. The progressive substitution of BPA in plastics and resins in contact with foodstuffs constitutes a “potential” explanation.
Good news that is timely since a study has just revealed that exposure in utero and during breastfeeding to bisphenol A promotes the occurrence of a food allergy or intolerance. And this even at low doses, alerted this study.
In mice exposure to bisphenol A during gestation was also associated with a greatly increased risk of liver tumor in the offspring. It would also increase the risk of miscarriage.
In conclusion, the InVS indicates that new results concerning the exposure of pregnant women and their child in utero to other metals (phthalates, pesticides, etc.) will be available by the end of 2014. Analysis of the factors that may explain these levels of impregnation (food, occupational and environmental exposure, lifestyle) will be available in 2015.
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