Contact of a pregnant woman with mercury is dangerous for a child
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Mercury is one of the most dangerous chemical elements. It has devastating consequences for the developing fetus, in particular, it can cause a violation of the speech apparatus, brain damage, blindness, mental retardation. Researches of scientists, conducted earlier, proved the danger of consumption by pregnant women of fish, which could be contaminated with mercury and increase the risk of developing deviations in the child. However, experts from Boston University recently denied this information.
A team of scientists led by Professor Sharon Sagiyev conducted a survey of children in New Bedford. This gave them grounds to assume that the mother's contact with mercury during the prenatal period increases the risk of developing behavioral disorders associated with ADHD syndrome, hyperactivity and attention deficit. And the use of fish can reduce this risk. The results of the study of experts are listed in the online magazine "Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescence Medicine".
Apart from professional activity, where a person has direct contact with methylmercury, the main source of mercury is fish, so pregnant women are not recommended to often eat fish products. However, at the same time, fish are a source of nutrients for omega-3 fatty acids, useful for brain activity.
In the course of the study, a protective link was found, which was provided by consuming more than two servings of fish daily. "In general, the results of our studies suggest that contact with mercury during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of ADHD behavior, and inclusion in the diet of fish, on the contrary, with a lower level of development of such conditions," - the researchers comment.
According to scientists, unambiguous recommendations regarding the diet of pregnant women can not be given now, because more information is required on this issue, but it is very important to get to the truth, because such an opening can completely change the views and opinions on the nutrition of pregnant women.
[