Very low-level prenatal mercury exposure and behaviors in children: the HOME Study

Table 3 Adjusted^a associations (95% CI) between every 2-fold increase in mercury concentrations and BASC-2 anxiety scores through 8-years

Child sex	Time of measurement
Child sex	Mean prenatal^b	Mean prenatal excluding cord	16 weeks	26 weeks	At delivery	Cord
Total	0.71 (−0.12, 1.54)	0.82 (−0.04, 1.69)	0.83 (0.05, 1.62)	0.79 (−0.08, 1.67)	− 0.35^* (− 1.74, 1.03)	0.49 (− 0.24, 1.23)
Boys	0.80 (−0.24, 1.85)	0.76 (− 0.32, 1.85)	1.22 (0.27, 2.16)	0.64 (− 0.49, 1.77)	0.14 (−1.05, 1.32)	0.47 (− 0.55, 1.49)
Girls	0.91 (− 0.30, 2.12)	1.08 (− 0.20, 2.35)	0.70 (− 0.48, 1.87)	0.99 (− 0.28, 2.26)	2.13 (0.85, 3.41)	0.91 (− 0.14, 1.97)

The bold numbers [cells] indicate statistical significance at p < 0.05
^*P value is 0.07 for the interaction term between mercury concentration at delivery and child sex
^aAdjusted for fish intake, maternal age at delivery (≤ 30 years and > 30 years), maternal ethnicity (white and others), annual household income (> $40,000 and ≤ $40,000), maternal education (Completed bachelor’s degree and not completed bachelor’s degree), marital status at baseline (Married/living with partner vs. unmarried/living alone), HOME score (≥ 40 or < 40), maternal depression during pregnancy (≤ 13 and > 13), child sex, child blood lead concentrations (mean of child blood lead concentrations at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months), pre-natal serum cotinine concentrations (mean of 16 weeks, 26 weeks, birth and cord concentrations) and post-natal child blood mercury concentrations (mean of child blood mercury levels at 2, 3, 4, 5 years)
^bMean prenatal mercury concentrations defined as a mean of maternal mercury concentrations at 16-weeks, 26-weeks of gestation, delivery, and cord blood mercury concentrations

ISSN: 1476-069X