Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Pregnancy is a unique period in women life. Fetal exposed to toxicants during this period can affect his/her health for long-life. Although, exposures to metal have sharply decreased in general population and workers, there is not a clear cut-off-point between toxic and safe levels for many of them. On the other word, many of pregnant women are not exposed to high levels of toxic metal to show clear clinical symptoms, but their fetuses may suffer several adverse effects that may not be detectable before or at the time of delivery. Unfortunately, there are not sufficient studies about metal toxicities and pregnancy outcomes due to many difficulties, such as availability of pregnant subjects for survey, high rate of follow up loss, and various environmental and endogenous (bones) sources of exposure to metal. As a result, a critical question be considered ?What study method is better to obtain metal effects on pregnancy?? Since it is easy to conduct, many researchers are gathering blood samples and data at the time of delivery. However, measurement of metal concentrations and pregnancy outcomes at this period may not be because gestational outcomes develop several weeks before birth and metal concentrations change during a few weeks by changing in amount of exposure. Therefore, multiple blood samples should be done throughout pregnancy. Although, this study method needed a significant research found and researcher efforts.

Biography

Dr. Mohsen Vigeh obtained Ph.D. degree in Social Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Japan, and completed medical doctorate course in Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University, Iran. He had been working for Tehran University of Medical Sciences for several years and currently is scientific staff of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan. He has collaboration with several local and overseas universities/institute and does peer review of some journals. Dr. Vigeh's research interest is ?reproductive toxicology? and ?urban air pollution?.