Objective: The aim of this study was to observe the maternal fetal transfer of metallic mercury and its
effects on offspring in human.Methods:A matched study between the exposed women who had exposed to
metallic mercury occupationally and the non exposed women as the control group was carried out.The maternal blood,
umbilical cord blood,milk,and placental tissues were collected and analysed by means of cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry (CVAAS).The growth and development conditions of the offspring in the two groups were followed up.Results: The concentrations of mercury in three forms of the maternal blood,umbilical cord blood,milk,and placental tissues in the exposed group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( P <0.05).The content of mercury of the umbilical cord blood and placental tissues were higher than that of maternal blood.The ratio of organic and total mercury of milk was markedly lower than that of maternal blood in the exposed group.The ratio of inorganic to total mercury of milk was markedly higher than that of maternal blood( P <0.01).No obvious difference of the growth and development conditions of offspring between the two groups was found.Conclusion: The mercury burden of female worders in body was increased when they exposed to metallic mercury.The metallic mercury can be transferred easily to the fetus via the placenta and secreted to a newborn via milk.Therefore,this study suggested that there is a potential risk to the offspring due to the strong transfer ability of metallic mercury via the placenta and the milk from the women exposed to mercury.