| Abstrakt: |
Environmental pollution with heavy metal (HM) may be associated with human reproductive failure where pollutants accumulate in marine organisms and sediment and are subsequently transferred to humans through the food chain. Seventy-six women (20-35 years) were categorized into 18 fertile women without RPL (control group), and Groups I, II, and III comprising 24, 18, and 16 women with RPL (2, 3, and >3 abortions, respectively) were studied. Whole blood samples were collected for the estimation of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), metallothionein (rbcMT), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), progesterone, hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH). Mussel samples were collected for Cd, Pb, and metallothionein (MT) estimation. The cadmium content of mussels was above the maximum limit. Women with RPL (Groups I-III) had higher Cd, Pb, rbcMT, and MDA and lower catalase, GSH, P4, Hb, MCV, and MCH compared to the control group (p=<0.001). Negative associations were observed between Cd and catalase (r=-0.320, p=0.014), GSH (r=-0.359, p=-0.006) and MCV (r=-0.391, p=-0.002) respectively and between Pb and GSH (r=-0.501, p=<0.001), Hb (r=-0.289, p=0.028), MCV (r=-0.394, p=0.002) and MCH (r=-0.277, p=0.036) respectively in women with RPL. Positive correlations were observed between Cd and Pb (r=0.533, p=<0.001), rbcMT with Cd (r=0.312, p=0.017), Pb (r=0.488, p=<0.000) and MDA (r=0.282, p=0.032) respectively in women with RPL. Conclusion: Elevated cadmium levels in mussels, metallothionein, MDA, and reduced antioxidants, progesterone, and red cell indices observed in women with RPL suggest that HM-induced oxidative stress and hormonal imbalance may be implicated in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
