Table 2 Mean prenatal whole blood total mercury concentrationsa (μg/L) and child BASC-2 scores by characteristics
From: Very low-level prenatal mercury exposure and behaviors in children: the HOME Study
Characteristics | N (%) at 8 year visitb | Mean prenatal mercury levels (mean ± SD) | BASC-2 Externalizing score (mean ± SD) | BASC-2 Internalizing score (mean ± SD) | BASC-2 Behavior Symptoms Index (mean ± SD) | BASC-2 Anxiety (mean ± SD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All participants | 226 (100) | 0.90 ± 1.00 | 49.3 ± 9.5 | 48.0 ± 8.9 | 49.6 ± 9.1 | 49.5 ± 9.7 |
Maternal age at delivery | ||||||
≤ 30 years | 124 (54.9) | 0.73 ± 0.58 | 49.8 ± 10.2 | 46.8 ± 8.7 | 49.6 ± 9.1 | 48.2 ± 9.7 |
> 30 years | 102 (45.1) | 1.10 ± 1.31 | 48.7 ± 8.5 | 49.6 ± 8.9 | 49.6 ± 9.1 | 51.1 ± 9.6 |
Maternal ethnicity | ||||||
White | 135 (59.7) | 0.95 ± 1.16 | 49.1 ± 8.5 | 48.7 ± 9.1 | 49.2 ± 8.6 | 50.6 ± 10.0 |
Others | 91 (40.3) | 0.81 ± 0.65 | 49.6 ± 10.8 | 47.1 ± 8.5 | 50.2 ± 9.7 | 47.9 ± 9.1 |
Midpoint value of income category at baseline | ||||||
> $ 40,000 | 131 (58.0) | 1.04 ± 1.22 | 48.4 ± 8.1 | 48.7 ± 8.7 | 48.8 ± 8.8 | 50.5 ± 9.4 |
≤ $ 40,000 | 95 (42.0) | 0.70 ± 0.47 | 50.6 ± 11.0 | 47.2 ± 9.1 | 50.7 ± 9.4 | 48.1 ± 10.0 |
Maternal education | ||||||
Completed Bachelor’s degree | 105 (46.5) | 1.13 ± 1.33 | 48.4 ± 7.7 | 48.3 ± 8.9 | 48.8 ± 8.7 | 50.5 ± 10.0 |
Not completed Bachelor’s degree | 121 (53.5) | 0.69 ± 0.47 | 50.1 ± 10.7 | 47.8 ± 9.0 | 50.3 ± 9.4 | 48.7 ± 9.5 |
Marital status at baseline | ||||||
Married or living with partner | 164 (72.6) | 0.96 ± 1.11 | 48.9 ± 8.5 | 48.4 ± 8.6 | 49.1 ± 8.7 | 50.0 ± 9.3 |
Unmarried or living alone | 62 (27.4) | 0.74 ± 0.53 | 50.4 ± 11.7 | 47.1 ± 9.6 | 50.8 ± 10.0 | 48.1 ± 10.8 |
Child sex | ||||||
Male | 99 (43.8) | 0.84 ± 0.74 | 51.0 ± 9.8 | 46.7 ± 8.3 | 50.7 ± 9.2 | 47.7 ± 8.7 |
Female | 127 (56.2) | 0.94 ± 1.15 | 48.0 ± 9.0 | 49.1 ± 9.2 | 48.8 ± 9.0 | 50.9 ± 10.3 |
HOME score (at 12 months) | ||||||
≥ 40 | 131 (62.4) | 1.06 ± 1.23 | 48.5 ± 8.5 | 48.4 ± 8.5 | 48.7 ± 9.0 | 50.3 ± 9.4 |
< 40 | 79 (37.6) | 0.68 ± 0.41 | 50.8 ± 10.4 | 48.3 ± 9.8 | 51.1 ± 9.1 | 49.1 ± 10.4 |
Maternal depression (BDI-II) at 20 weeks | ||||||
Minimal depression (≤ 13) | 174 (77.7) | 0.98 ± 1.10 | 48.1 ± 8.8 | 47.3 ± 8.5 | 48.5 ± 8.7 | 49.3 ± 9.6 |
Mild, moderate or severe depression (> 13) | 50 (22.3) | 0.61 ± 0.37 | 53.7 ± 10.7 | 50.8 ± 9.9 | 53.5 ± 9.4 | 50.3 ± 10.2 |
Fish intake | ||||||
Not at all | 32 (14.2) | 0.40 ± 0.28 | 47.6 ± 9.9 | 45.1 ± 8.2 | 47.6 ± 9.1 | 47.9 ± 10.1 |
Less than once a month | 64 (28.3) | 0.64 ± 0.53 | 47.9 ± 8.6 | 48.0 ± 9.2 | 48.8 ± 9.1 | 49.1 ± 9.3 |
1 to 3 times a month | 80 (35.4) | 1.00 ± 0.99 | 49.8 ± 8.8 | 48.6 ± 8.8 | 50.1 ± 8.9 | 49.9 ± 9.8 |
More than once a week | 50 (22.1) | 1.38 ± 1.41 | 51.4 ± 10.9 | 49.2 ± 8.9 | 51.1 ± 9.2 | 50.5 ± 9.9 |