1183 The Effect of Heavy Metals and Trace Elements in the Meconiums on Growth

Many studies suggest an association between heavy metals in blood or placenta and growth. However, there have been no studies that show an association between growth and exposure to trace elements at toxic levels in meconium. Meconium is a matrix that can be obtained easily and noninvasively and is representative of a wide period of exposure in the fetus during gestation. The purpose of this study is to measure the levels of heavy metals (lead, cadmium) and trace elements (zinc, iron, copper) in meconium samples in the industrial city of Kocaeli and to understand their associations with birth weight, birth height and head circumference. Metal and trace element levels in the meconiums were measured with a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The metal levels in meconiums were higher in the small gestational age (SGA) group compared to the appropriate gestational age group. In the regression analysis, it was shown that meconium metal levels were among the risk factors for SGA, low birth weight, short birth height and low head circumference. These results suggest that exposure to heavy metals and trace elements at higher levels are among the risk factors for short birth height, low head circumference and low birth weight.