Association between urinary heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes among pregnant women in Isfahan City
Abstract Heavy metals are toxic elements that can have significant adverse effects on human health, particularly during vulnerable periods such as pregnancy. The presence of heavy metals in the environment can lead to increased exposure in pregnant women, which may adversely affect both maternal and...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10137-4 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849237724067790848 |
|---|---|
| author | Maryam Moradnia Karin Broberg Manuel Lozano Afsane Chavoshani Mehdi Salari Hossein Movahedian Attar Roya Kelishadi Mohammad Darvishmotevalli |
| author_facet | Maryam Moradnia Karin Broberg Manuel Lozano Afsane Chavoshani Mehdi Salari Hossein Movahedian Attar Roya Kelishadi Mohammad Darvishmotevalli |
| author_sort | Maryam Moradnia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Heavy metals are toxic elements that can have significant adverse effects on human health, particularly during vulnerable periods such as pregnancy. The presence of heavy metals in the environment can lead to increased exposure in pregnant women, which may adversely affect both maternal and neonatal health. This study investigates the relationship between heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes in pregnant women in Isfahan city. Measuring heavy metal concentrations in urine is considered a non-invasive and accurate method for assessing exposure to these harmful substances. The primary aim of this research is to identify the potential impacts of these factors on birth weight and other growth parameters of infants. Results are indicating that 11.4% of the mothers were less than 25 years of age, and 57.1% of the mothers are overweight. Moreover, 19.2% of pregnant women had less than 37 weeks of gestation, and 82.8% of mothers were university-educated. Significant difference in heavy metal levels was observed across residential areas for arsenic (p = 0.007), chromium (p < 0.001), nickel (p = 0.005), lead (p = 0.003), selenium (p = 0.034), and T4 (p = 0.045). Notably, only lead exposure was directly and significantly associated with decreased infant birth weight (β = − 120.99, p = 0.008). All heavy metals showed a positive association with maternal TSH levels (p < 0.05), and except for selenium, they were also positively associated with the maternal T3/T4 ratio (p < 0.05). Both birth weight and head circumference were negatively associated with maternal TSH levels (β = − 209.25, p = 0.001) and the T3/T4 ratio (β = − 203, p = 0.041), especially among female infants. Therefore, careful monitoring of environmental heavy metal exposure and thyroid hormone regulation during pregnancy is essential to optimize birth outcomes and infant health. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ddf7ca6ad44b4ef09adb140cbd5c559f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-ddf7ca6ad44b4ef09adb140cbd5c559f2025-08-20T04:01:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111410.1038/s41598-025-10137-4Association between urinary heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes among pregnant women in Isfahan CityMaryam Moradnia0Karin Broberg1Manuel Lozano2Afsane Chavoshani3Mehdi Salari4Hossein Movahedian Attar5Roya Kelishadi6Mohammad Darvishmotevalli7Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesDivision of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund UniversityFoundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public HealthAssistant Professor, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Iranshahr University of Medical SciencesNon-communicable Diseases Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesResearch Center for Health, Safety, and Environment (RCHSE), Alborz University of Medical SciencesAbstract Heavy metals are toxic elements that can have significant adverse effects on human health, particularly during vulnerable periods such as pregnancy. The presence of heavy metals in the environment can lead to increased exposure in pregnant women, which may adversely affect both maternal and neonatal health. This study investigates the relationship between heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes in pregnant women in Isfahan city. Measuring heavy metal concentrations in urine is considered a non-invasive and accurate method for assessing exposure to these harmful substances. The primary aim of this research is to identify the potential impacts of these factors on birth weight and other growth parameters of infants. Results are indicating that 11.4% of the mothers were less than 25 years of age, and 57.1% of the mothers are overweight. Moreover, 19.2% of pregnant women had less than 37 weeks of gestation, and 82.8% of mothers were university-educated. Significant difference in heavy metal levels was observed across residential areas for arsenic (p = 0.007), chromium (p < 0.001), nickel (p = 0.005), lead (p = 0.003), selenium (p = 0.034), and T4 (p = 0.045). Notably, only lead exposure was directly and significantly associated with decreased infant birth weight (β = − 120.99, p = 0.008). All heavy metals showed a positive association with maternal TSH levels (p < 0.05), and except for selenium, they were also positively associated with the maternal T3/T4 ratio (p < 0.05). Both birth weight and head circumference were negatively associated with maternal TSH levels (β = − 209.25, p = 0.001) and the T3/T4 ratio (β = − 203, p = 0.041), especially among female infants. Therefore, careful monitoring of environmental heavy metal exposure and thyroid hormone regulation during pregnancy is essential to optimize birth outcomes and infant health.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10137-4PrenatalHeavy metal exposureGestationalThyroid hormonesBirth outcomes |
| spellingShingle | Maryam Moradnia Karin Broberg Manuel Lozano Afsane Chavoshani Mehdi Salari Hossein Movahedian Attar Roya Kelishadi Mohammad Darvishmotevalli Association between urinary heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes among pregnant women in Isfahan City Scientific Reports Prenatal Heavy metal exposure Gestational Thyroid hormones Birth outcomes |
| title | Association between urinary heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes among pregnant women in Isfahan City |
| title_full | Association between urinary heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes among pregnant women in Isfahan City |
| title_fullStr | Association between urinary heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes among pregnant women in Isfahan City |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association between urinary heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes among pregnant women in Isfahan City |
| title_short | Association between urinary heavy metal concentrations, thyroid hormones, and birth outcomes among pregnant women in Isfahan City |
| title_sort | association between urinary heavy metal concentrations thyroid hormones and birth outcomes among pregnant women in isfahan city |
| topic | Prenatal Heavy metal exposure Gestational Thyroid hormones Birth outcomes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10137-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT maryammoradnia associationbetweenurinaryheavymetalconcentrationsthyroidhormonesandbirthoutcomesamongpregnantwomeninisfahancity AT karinbroberg associationbetweenurinaryheavymetalconcentrationsthyroidhormonesandbirthoutcomesamongpregnantwomeninisfahancity AT manuellozano associationbetweenurinaryheavymetalconcentrationsthyroidhormonesandbirthoutcomesamongpregnantwomeninisfahancity AT afsanechavoshani associationbetweenurinaryheavymetalconcentrationsthyroidhormonesandbirthoutcomesamongpregnantwomeninisfahancity AT mehdisalari associationbetweenurinaryheavymetalconcentrationsthyroidhormonesandbirthoutcomesamongpregnantwomeninisfahancity AT hosseinmovahedianattar associationbetweenurinaryheavymetalconcentrationsthyroidhormonesandbirthoutcomesamongpregnantwomeninisfahancity AT royakelishadi associationbetweenurinaryheavymetalconcentrationsthyroidhormonesandbirthoutcomesamongpregnantwomeninisfahancity AT mohammaddarvishmotevalli associationbetweenurinaryheavymetalconcentrationsthyroidhormonesandbirthoutcomesamongpregnantwomeninisfahancity |