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Maternal, Perinatal and Pediatric Nutrition (Poster Session)

(P27-052-25) Association of Placental Cadmium With Food Intake During Late Pregnancy and Infant Growth Indicators

Monday, June 2, 2025
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board A-54

    Presenting Author(s)

  • CL

    Cheawon Lee, MS

    PhD Student
    Chonnam National University
    Gwangju, Kwangju-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea

    • Co-Author(s)

  • CP

    Clara Yongjoo Park, PhD

    Chonnam National University
    Gwangju, Kwangju-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea

Disclosure(s):
Cheawon Lee, MS: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Cadmium (Cd) can cross the placental barrier and impact fetal development. Cd exposure can come from diet, especially grains and vegetables. However, studies on food intake, placental Cd content, and fetal growth are limited, especially in Asians, which have high rice and vegetable intake. The aims of this study were to identify the foods and cooking methods that may contribute to placental Cd content and assess the association between placental Cd and infant growth.

Methods: Seventy-three non-smoking pregnant women and placentas were analyzed. Food intake during late pregnancy was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and categorized by main ingredients and cooking methods. Placental Cd was measured via ICP-MS. Maternal and infant birth data length, weight, and head circumference were obtained from medical charts, while 1-year growth indicators (length, weight, and head circumference) were collected via interviews. T-tests and linear regression were performed. Adjustments were made for maternal age, weight gain, gestational age, parity, pre-pregnancy BMI, complications, and sex of the infant.

Results: Placental Cd content tended to be positively associated with intakes of rice (β: 0.21, p = 0.08), root vegetables (β: 0.41, p = 0.054), salty foods (β: 0.11, p = 0.08), and chocolate (β: 1.24, p = 0.07). Placental Cd content was positively associated with boiled and deep-fried foods (β: 0.34 and 0.67, respectively; both p < 0.05). Placental Cd content was not associated with birth outcomes, placental efficiency, or 1-year growth indicators.

Conclusions: Placental Cd content may be associated with rice, root vegetable, salty food, and chocolate intakes, and was positively associated with intakes of boiling and deep-fried cooking methods during late pregnancy. However, placental Cd content was not associated with neonatal birth outcomes, placental efficiency, or 1-year growth indicators. The placenta may act as a barrier of Cd from foods to the fetus and its function may not be affected by its Cd content.

Funding Sources: This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea.