Background

Fish is an essential and traditional element in the diet of most Caribbean people. However it also contains methylmercury which can have severe effects on fetal neurodevelopment. The objective of this study was to assess the fish intake of a selected group of pregnant women from Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago and evaluate prenatal mercury exposure, using the placenta as a biomarker.

Method

Food frequency questionnaires and placental samples were obtained from participating parturients at the time of delivery at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica (N= 100, from November 2012 to March 2013) and the Mt Hope Women’s hospital in St Joseph, Trinidad & Tobago (N=80, in June 2015 and August 2016). The participants were asked to identify the species of fish and the frequency of consumption. Selected fish species and placental samples were analyzed for mercury.

Results

The mean maternal fish intake was 245 grams per week. The methylmercury ingested dose for most participants were below the US EPA reference dose (0.1μg/ kg/ bw). The mean placental mercury concentrations in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago were 0.7 ±0.5 μg/kg and 1.4 ± 0.6μg/kg ww, respectively. These values were below the average literature, where there were no observable adverse effects on fetal health.

Conclusion

The placental mercury concentrations in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago were below the adverse health effects limit. Therefore, eating 245 grams of fish per week is within acceptable limit for pregnant women. However, pregnant women are advised to avoid regular consumption of large offshore pelagic fish. The results from this study showed an influence of Caribbean fish intake preferences on mercury exposure and thus a recommendation for continuous bio-monitoring for public health purposes.