Effects of early-life arsenic exposure on child health and development

摘要

Adverse health effects of inorganic arsenic are well documented, but little is known about consequences of early-life exposure. The aim of our on-going longitudinal mother-child cohort study (N~2300) in rural Bangladesh, an area with highly variable arsenic concentrations in well-water, is to evaluate potential adverse health effects of prenatal and childhood exposure through water and food. Arsenic metabolites were measured in maternal urine twice during pregnancy and in child urine at 1.5 and 5 years of age. In sub-cohorts placenta and cord blood were analyzed for arsenic and toxicity markers. We regularly assessed fetal and child growth and fetal thymus size and morbidity. Child development (motor, cognition and behavior) was assessed at 0.6,1.5 and 5 years of age. The results so far indicate that prenatal arsenic exposure impairs immune function with subsequent increase in morbidity and mortality. Effects on children's growth and cognitive development were detected first at 5 years of age, and seemed to be gender-dependent.