Exposure of pregnant women to neonicotinoids in Wenzhou City, East China: A biomonitoring study.

BACKGROUND: China produces and consumes a large amount of neonicotinoids. A non-negligible exposure to neonicotinoids might occur for Chinese pregnant women, but relevant data remain limited. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the exposure to neonicotinoids by urinary biomonitoring in pregnant women from Wenzhou City, East China. METHODS: We selected 432 pregnant women in Wenzhou City in 2022. A total of eight parent neonicotinoids and four metabolites were determined in single spot urine by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Basic characteristics, physical activity, pre-pregnant body mass index, and intake of drinking water and food were investigated by the questionnaire. Health risk was assessed by hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) based on human safety thresholds derived from different health endpoints. RESULTS: Neonicotinoids and their metabolites in urine had a detection frequency between 0 % and 80.1 %. At least one neonicotinoid or metabolite was detected in 93.5 % of urine samples. Except for clothianidin (51.2 %) and N-desmethyl-acetamiprid (80.1 %), the detection frequencies of other neonicotinoids and metabolites ranged from 0 % to 43.8 %. The summed concentrations of all neonicotinoids and their metabolites ranged from < LOD to 222.83 µg/g creatinine with the median concentration of 2.58 µg/g creatinine. Maternal age, educational level, occupation, household income, screen time, and pre-pregnant body mass index were associated with detection frequencies or concentrations of neonicotinoids and their metabolites. Pregnant women with higher consumption frequencies of wheat, fresh vegetable, shellfish, fresh milk, and powdered milk had higher detection frequencies of neonicotinoids and their metabolites. Both HQ and HI were less than one. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, pregnant women in Wenzhou City showed a notable frequency of exposure to at least one neonicotinoid, although the exposure frequency for each specific neonicotinoid was generally low. Several food items derived from plants and animals were potential exposure sources. A low health risk was found based on current safety thresholds.

Association of maternal mineral status with the risk of preterm birth: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: There has been a gradual increase in the proportion of preterm birth in China during the past several decades. Maternal malnutrition is a significant determinant for preterm birth. Nevertheless, comprehensive studies investigating serum mineral levels during pregnancy associated with preterm birth remain scarce. This study aims to assess the associations between maternal serum mineral levels and the risk of preterm birth. Methods: This retrospective cohort study of 18,048 pregnant women used data from a tertiary hospital in China from January 2016 to December 2022. Demographic data and serum mineral concentrations in the second and third trimesters of mothers were collected from the hospital information system. Analysis was performed using restricted cubic splines and logistic regression models. Results: The proportion of preterm birth in this study was 6.01%. Phosphorus [P for overall = 0.005; P for nonlinear = 0.490; OR (95%CI) = 1.11 (1.04, 1.18)] and chlorine [P for overall = 0.002; P for nonlinear = 0.058; OR (95%CI) = 1.11 (1.03, 1.19)] showed a significant positive correlation with preterm birth in a linear fashion. Furthermore, serum levels of potassium (P for nonlinear <0.001), sodium (P for nonlinear = 0.004), and magnesium (P for nonlinear <0.001) exhibited non-linear relationships with the risk of preterm birth. Conclusion: Serum levels of some minerals during pregnancy were associated with the risk of preterm birth among pregnant women. In addition to commonly recognized micronutrients such as folic acid, iron, and vitamin D, healthcare providers should also pay attention to the levels of these minerals during pregnancy.

Maternal blood parameters and risk of neonatal pathological jaundice: a retrospective study.

This study aims to investigate the association between maternal blood parameters and the risk of neonatal pathological jaundice. A retrospective case-control study of 1309 newborns and their mothers from 2019 to 2020 in a single-center tertiary hospital. All mothers received a complete routine blood test prior to delivery, and outcome was neonatal pathological jaundice. We performed stepwise logistic regression modeling to identify maternal blood factors associated with neonatal pathological jaundice. 258 neonates (19.71%) were diagnosed with pathological jaundice. Logistic regression results showed that the odds ratio for pathological jaundice in neonates of mothers with high white blood cell (WBC) count was 1.512 (95% CI 1.145-1.998; P = 0.004). Besides, neonates whose mothers had a high mean corpuscular volume (MCV) during pregnancy doubled the odds of developing pathological jaundice (OR = 1.967; 95% CI 1.043-3.711; P = 0.037). Among neonates, those whose mothers had high levels of WBC count and MCV were at increased risk of pathological jaundice. Regular obstetric examinations and routine blood tests are essential to initiate adapted care.