New Study Proves Mercury Exposure During Pregnancy Causes ADHD in Children

New Study Proves Mercury Exposure During Pregnancy Causes ADHD in Children

Andrew Puhanic, Contributor
Activist Post

Women who are planning to have a baby or who are already pregnant are
now being warned to avoid foods containing mercury and are now being
encouraged to eat more fish during pregnancy.

It is well-known that certain species of fish (shark, Barramundi and
swordfish) contain high levels of mercury. Whereas, other species of
fish such as snapper and salmon usually have relatively low levels of
mercury. For a comprehensive list of fish to avoid, click here.

A new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
has concluded that children born from mothers who had been exposed to
mercury before and during pregnancy are at risk of developing
ADHD-related behaviors in their children.

Published by researchers from the Boston University
School of Public Health, data was analysed from more than 780 children
between 1993 and 1998 at St Luke’s Hospital, the primary hospital that
services the population of greater New Bedford, Massachusetts.

The study was designed in response to the contamination of water in the
New Bedford harbor from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) before dumping
of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was banned.

For participants of the study that were found to have up to 1 microgram
of mercury per gram of hair, their consumption of fish was associated
with a lower risk of ADHD-type behaviours in their children.



Interestingly, for participants of the study who had more that 1
microgram of mercury per gram of hair, it was concluded that there was
an increased risk of ADHD-type behaviours in their children.

Mothers that were selected to participate in the study had to meet the following conditions:

• Their children must have been born at St Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford.
  
• They must have been at least 18 years old.
  
• Lived in 1 of the 4 towns adjacent to the contaminated harbor during their pregnancy.
  

The
researchers also found strong protective associations for mothers who
consumed fish during pregnancy (of the safe types listed at the
beginning of this article). The results are supported by data from a
well-characterized birth cohort.

Penalized spline of the adjusted association of perinatal maternal hair mercury levels with log-transformed Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) (DSM-IV) total t scores (centered on 0) from the Conners Rating Scale–Teachers for 8-year-old children born in New Bedford, 1993-1998.

Interestingly, children of mothers who adjusted their total fish
consumption (eating varying quantities) did not, in most instances,
change associations between mercury levels and ADHD. Also, it was
discovered that high mercury levels were found in mothers who were
categorized as:

• Mothers who were older.
  
• Mother who were married.
  
• Mothers who had a higher household income.
  
• Mother who did not smoke during pregnancy or use illicit drugs the year before birth.
  
• Mothers who consumed more fish during pregnancy, and had children of white race.
  

In general, the researchers also found no strong correlation to
whether males or females were more prone to developing ADHD when exposed
to mercury. However, it was noted that associations were stronger in
boys.

The findings presented in this study are consistent with the growing
literature that proves mothers who are exposed to mercury during
pregnancy increase the risk of their unborn child developing
ADHD-related behaviours.

The good news is that there is now more evidence to suggest that
consumption of fish during pregnancy has a positive impact on fetal
brain development.

Source:-
http://www.activistpost.com/2012/10/new-study-proves-mercury-exposure.html