Abstract Background: Heavy metals are defined as any metallic chemical element that has a high density and is hazardous at a lower concentration, including cadmium, arsenic, copper, lead, and mercury which mainly affect the reproductive system and are especially toxic to growing fetuses. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the effect of heavy metals on pregnant women with anemia compared to healthy pregnant women. Materials and Methods: A total of 195 blood samples (105 pregnant women with anemia and 90 healthy subjects as control) with three trimesters were collected to estimate the levels of some heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, copper, and mercury) and some biochemical parameters includes total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin/globulin ratio, ischemia-modified albumin, free amino, carbonyl, total thiol, native thiol, di sulfide bond, LH and FSH in all studied groups in Kirkuk Governorate, Iraq and surrounding areas. Results: The results revealed that there were significant ( P ≤ 0.05) increases in the levels of Cu, As, total thiol, and IMA in all trimesters, Cd and Pb in the 1st and 3rd trimesters, carbonyl, carbonyl/tp, and total thiol/tp in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, and disulfide bond and AGR in the 1st and 2nd trimesters, respectively. Conclusion: Statistical analysis of the results revealed that the levels of Cu increased significantly only in the 2nd trimester, Fe only in the 1st trimester, Cd and Pb only in the 1st and 3rd trimesters, while levels increased significantly in all pregnancy trimesters.
Azeez et al. (Thu,) studied this question.