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Tags
HERO ID
710811
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Arsenic exposure and risk of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, and infant mortality
Author(s)
Rahman, A; Persson, L-Å; Nermell, B; El Arifeen, S; Ekström, E-C; Smith, AH; Vahter, M
Year
2010
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Epidemiology
ISSN:
1044-3983
EISSN:
1531-5487
Volume
21
Issue
6
Page Numbers
797-804
Language
English
PMID
20864889
DOI
10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181f56a0d
Web of Science Id
WOS:000282600600009
Abstract
Millions of people worldwide are drinking water with elevated arsenic concentrations. Epidemiologic studies, mainly cross-sectional in design, have suggested that arsenic in drinking water may affect pregnancy outcome and infant health. We assessed the association of arsenic exposure with adverse pregnancy outcomes and infant mortality in a prospective cohort study of pregnant women.
A population-based, prospective cohort study of 2924 pregnant women was carried out during 2002-2004 in Matlab, Bangladesh. Spontaneous abortion was evaluated in relation to urinary arsenic concentrations at gestational week 8. Stillbirth and infant mortality were evaluated in relation to the average of urinary arsenic concentrations measured at gestational weeks 8 and 30.
: The odds ratio of spontaneous abortion was 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.96-2.2) among women with urine arsenic concentrations in the fifth quintile (249-1253 μg/L; median = 382 μg/L), compared with women in the first quintile (<33 μg/L). There was no clear evidence of increased rates of stillbirth. The rate of infant mortality increased with increasing arsenic exposure: the hazard ratio was 5.0 (95% CI = 1.4-18) in the fifth quintile of maternal urinary arsenic concentrations (268-2019 μg/L; median = 390 μg/L), compared with the first quintile (<38 μg/L).
We found evidence of increased risk of infant mortality with increasing arsenic exposure during pregnancy, with less evidence of associations with spontaneous abortion or stillbirth risk.
Tags
•
Arsenic (Inorganic)
1. Literature
PubMed
Toxline, TSCATS, & DART
Web of Science
Identified during manual review of authoritative sources
3. Hazard ID Screening
Potentially relevant epidemiology studies
5. Susceptibility Screening
Excluded/Not relevant
Cited in Volume 1
Cited in Volume 2a
Cited in Volume 2b
•
Arsenic Susceptibility
5. Health Effect
Developmental Effects including Neurodevelopmental
Reproductive System Effects including Pregnancy Outcomes
1. Susceptibility Literature Screening
Supplemental Search
2. Excluded
Not Relevant
3. References Identified During Review
Life Stages Citation Mapping
15%-20%
•
Inorganic Arsenic (7440-38-2) [Final 2025]
1. Initial Lit Search
PubMed
WOS
ToxNet
4. Considered through Oct 2015
8. Hazard through Oct 2015
Epi Hazard ID
9. Hazard ID through Oct. 2015_Epi 2019 PECO
Pregnancy and birth outcomes
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