Preliminary study of blood methylmercury effects on reproductive hormones and relevant factors among infertile and pregnant women in Taiwan
Journal
Chemosphere
Journal Volume
135
Pages
411-417
Date Issued
2015
Author(s)
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is the most poisonous mercury species and an endocrine-disrupting chemical that could cause reproductive and developmental harm effects in animals. In this study, we recruited 310 infertile women and 57 pregnant women and investigated their blood MeHg levels. The distribution of blood reproductive hormone, selenium and zinc levels, and the difference of relevant factors by the reference level of blood MeHg (5.8. μg/L) of infertile women were further examined. Results showed that greater percentages of sashimi consumption, frequencies of Chinese herbal medicine use, alcohol consumption, and lack of physical activity were observed in infertile women than those for pregnant women. Blood MeHg concentration was significantly greater in infertile than that in pregnant women. Significant concentration differences for FSH and LH by the dichotomized reference level of blood MeHg (5.8. μg/L) in infertile women were not observed, which may stem from that these reproductive hormones in participated infertile women were mostly in the normal reference range. Consumption of fish and sashimi represented the major source of MeHg exposure in infertile women. MeHg levels were elevated in infertile women, and consistent with fish consumption frequency. Compared to the referent level of blood MeHg levels <5.8. μg/L, the elevated blood MeHg levels (?5.8. μg/L) in infertile women were 3.35 and 4.42 folds risk in categorized frequencies of fish consumption 1-2 meals per week and more than 3 meals per week, respectively. The obtained results provide evidences and help updating the advisory of fish consumption and improving women's reproductive health. ? 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
Subjects
Fish consumption; Methylmercury; Reproductive hormone; Women infertility
SDGs
Other Subjects
Endocrine disrupters; Endocrinology; Fish; Hormones; Mercury compounds; Plants (botany); Alcohol consumption; Chinese herbal medicines; Endocrine disrupting chemicals; Fish consumption; Methyl mercury; Reproductive health; Reproductive hormones; Women infertility; Blood; follitropin; luteinizing hormone; methylmercury; selenium; zinc; methylmercuric chloride; methylmercury derivative; pollutant; blood; food preference; health risk; hormone; methylmercury; pollution exposure; quality of life; reproductive health; womens health; adult; alcohol consumption; Article; artificial insemination; Chinese herb; educational status; female; female infertility; fertilization in vitro; follitropin blood level; food intake; heavy metal blood level; herbal medicine; human; limit of detection; luteinizing hormone blood level; major clinical study; mass spectrometry; occupational exposure; physical activity; pregnant woman; smoking; structured questionnaire; Taiwan; analysis; blood; diet; environmental exposure; environmental monitoring; food contamination; Infertility, Female; mercurialism; pollutant; pregnancy; sea food; statistics and numerical data; Taiwan; Animalia; Diet; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants; Female; Food Contamination; Humans; Infertility, Female; Maternal Exposure; Mercury Poisoning; Methylmercury Compounds; Pregnancy; Seafood; Selenium; Taiwan
Type
journal article