Women of childbearing age in the United States are in danger of
having high blood mercury levels. With 20 percent of these women
already exceeding the government recommended guidelines for mercury
levels, concerns have escalated.
Studies have shown that high levels of mercury in pregnant women
and women of childbearing age have been linked to birth defects
in offspring. Further, women who eat fish while they are pregnant
may be contributing to a subtle loss of mental acuity in their children.
Mercury can be found in the environment in the flesh of fish and
in the bodies of humans and animals that consume fish.
The FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have formed
guidelines concerning the dangerous levels of mercury. Pregnant
women, women of childbearing age, women who are nursing and young
children are encouraged to limit their intake of fish that are high
in mercury in order to control the high mercury levels.
Researchers studied hair samples in order
to discover the overall mercury contamination levels among American
citizens. Of the 1,500 samples collected, they found:
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Twenty-one percent of the 597 women of childbearing age tested
had blood mercury levels over the government recommended guidelines
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There was a connection between the amount of fish a person
ate and his or her mercury level
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One-third of people who at canned tuna four or more times a
week had mercury levels higher than the EPA guidelines
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Both men and women have similar mercury levels
Officials say reducing power plant emissions of mercury by 70 percent
would be a step toward a resolution for this mercury problem. However,
others complain an improvement won't occur until the levels are
reduced by 90 percent.
An EPA spokesperson said these studies are helpful, in that they
warn people, particularly pregnant women, of the dangers associated
with fish consumption. They also help regulate the mercury emission
from power plants.
Medical
News Today October 23, 2004
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