Association of Blood and Seminal Plasma Cadmium and Lead Levels With Semen Quality in Non-Occupationally Exposed Infertile Men in Abakaliki, South East Nigeria.

Objective: To evaluate association of blood and seminal plasma lead and cadmium with sperm quality of non-occupationally exposed male partners of couples with infertility. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 75 men aged 20-45 years (mean = 37.1 ± 7.0 yrs.) with infertility recruited from the Fertility Clinic of a hospital in Abakaliki. Sperm count done in accordance with the WHO guidelines was used to classify the participants as normospamia, oligospermia and azospermia. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine lead and cadmium levels in plasma from blood and semen. Results: There were 15 azospermics, 22 oligospermics and 36 normospermics. Seminal and blood plasma cadmium as well as blood plasma lead were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in azospermic and oligospermic men compared to normospermic men. However, while seminal plasma lead was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in oligospermic and normospernic men than in azospermic men, the seminal plasma lead was comparable between oligospermic and normospermic men. Significant inverse associations (p < 0.01) were found between blood and seminal cadmium levels and sperm count, motility and morphology; blood lead was inversely correlated with sperm count only. Conclusion: The study suggests that environmental exposure to cadmium and lead may contribute to development of poor sperm quality and infertility in men of reproductive age in Nigeria.

The effect of parity on maternal body mass index, plasma mineral element status and new-born anthropometrics.

BACKGROUND: Adverse pregnancy outcome is an important public health problem that has been partly associated with increasing maternal parity. AIM: To determine the effect of parity on maternal body mass index (BMI), mineral element status and newborn anthropometrics. METHODS: Data for 349 pregnant women previously studied for the impacts of maternal plasma mineral element status on pregnancy and its outcomes was analysed. Obstetric and demographic data and 5mls of blood samples were obtained from each subject. Blood lead, plasma copper, iron and zinc were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. RESULTS: Maternal BMI increases with parity. Women with parity two had significantly higher plasma zinc but lower plasma copper with comparable levels of the elements in nulliparous and higher parity groups. Although plasma iron was comparable among the groups, blood lead was significantly higher in parity > three. Newborn birth length increases with parity with a positive correlation between parity and maternal BMI (r = 0.221; p = 0.001) and newborn birth length (r = 0.170; p = 0.002) while plasma copper was negatively correlated with newborn's head circumference (r = -0.115; p = 0.040). CONCLUSION: It is plausible that parity affects maternal BMI and newborn anthropometrics through alterations in maternal plasma mineral element levels. While further studies are desired to confirm the present findings, there is need for pregnant and would-be pregnant women to diversify their diet to optimize their mineral element status.

Blood lead levels in children attending a tertiary teaching hospital in Enugu, south-eastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Reports have demonstrated widespread lead contamination of the Enugu environment and the possibility of childhood lead poisoning. OBJECTIVE: To determine the blood lead levels of children attending University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla, Enugu, Enugu State. METHOD: Blood samples from 100 children were analysed for blood lead concentration using an atomic absorption spectrometer. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 6·2 (2·13) years (range 1-15) and the mean (SD) blood lead level was 8·7 (5·4) µg/dl (range 0·3-17·7). Thirty-three per cent of the children had blood lead levels >10 µg/dl, which is the United States Center for Disease Prevention and Control action limit, and 36% of the children had blood lead levels of 5-10 µg/dl. Mean (SD) blood lead level in the 6-10-years age group was 11·3 (5·7) µg/dl and 9·4 (4·6) µg/dl in the >10-years age group, which is significantly higher than in the 1-5-years age group [7·5 (5·1) µg/dl, P = 0·03]. Males had significantly higher mean (SD) blood lead levels than females [9·6 (5·8) vs 6·8 (3·8), P = 0·03]. CONCLUSION: One-third of children had blood lead levels >10 µg/dl, particularly older and male children. Blood lead screening should be considered for sick children, and further screening of blood lead levels in children should be undertaken in Enugu and other parts of Nigeria, and efforts made to identify the sources of exposure.

Blood Pb Levels in pregnant Nigerian women in Abakaliki, South-Eastern Nigeria.

Environmental lead (Pb) exposure and toxicity have been recognised as public health problems of global importance, affecting both the developed and developing nations. In this work, blood Pb of pregnant women that were not exposed to lead by their occupation (n = 349), with mean ± SD age of 27.0 ± 4.8 years and gestational age of 21.8 ± 3.1 weeks at recruitment were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results showed that 309 (88.5 %) of the women had a mean ± SD blood Pb of 40.0 ± 16.5 µg/dl, which is higher than the current US Centre for Disease Prevention and Control action limit (>10 µg/dl). The observed high prevalence of elevated blood Pb levels may be related to maternal low socioeconomic status. Health education is, therefore, urgently needed to sensitise the general public and the policy makers of the level of Pb exposure in Abakaliki environment and the inherent health implications. In addition to mandatory environmental lead monitoring, blood Pb screening for would-be mother is recommended, and those whose blood Pb are found elevated should be appropriately treated.

Maternal sociodemographic parameters: impact on trace element status and pregnancy outcomes in Nigerian women.

To determine the impact of socioeconomic status on plasma trace element status and pregnancy outcomes, 349 pregnant women, aged 15-40 years (mean 27.04 +/- 2.75 years), recruited at < or = 25 weeks (mean 21.76 +/- 3.12 weeks) gestational age, were followed up till delivery during which maternal and foetal outcomes were recorded. Plasma copper, iron, and zinc were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer while maternal sociodemographic data were obtained using a questionnaire. Except for copper, lower plasma iron and zinc were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in women from socioeconomically-disadvantaged groups. Both adverse maternal health and foetal outcomes also seemed to be more prevalent in socioeconomically-disadvantaged women, although without a definite trend. This study has shown that, in economically-disadvantaged setting of developing countries, maternal socioeconomic status impacts on maternal trace element (copper, iron, and zinc) status and health and foetal outcomes.