Maternal and fetal cadmium and selenium status in normotensive and hypertensive pregnancy

Cadmium and selenium concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood and amniotic fluid were determined in 37 normotensive and 23 hypertensive women during the last trimester of pregnancy in relation to their smoking status. Thiocyanate concentration in plasma was used as the index of smoking status. Cadmium and selenium were determined with atomic absorption spectrometry (graphite furnace and mercury hydride system). In the group of normotensive and hypertensive women, significantly higher cadmium and lower selenium concentrations in blood in smokers were observed than in nonsmokers. Umbilical cord blood selenium concentrations in both normotensive and hypertensive smokers were significantly lower than in nonsmokers as well. In the group of normotensive women, significant differences in selenium concentrations in amniotic fluid were observed between smokers and non-smokers. In conclusion, the results of this study show that hypertension in pregnant women smokers is related to significantly higher blood cadmium concentrations, which indicates that cadmium may be considered as an independent factor involved in hypertension.