Association of maternal blood pressure and hemoglobin level with organochlorines in human milk

Abstract

Milk samples of women from the general population in Lucknow were analysed by gas–liquid chromatography to determine the concentration of organochlorine pesticides and their possible association with maternal characteristics. p,p0-DDT (dichloro diphenyltrichloroethane),p,p-DDE (dichloro diphenyl trichloroethylene), p,p0-DDD (dichloro diphenyl dichloroethane), ¬, 00ad, fi and flisomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and aldrin were detected. The calculated daily intake of DDT and HCH by the neonates exceeded their acceptable daily intake (ADI) set by the WHO. A statistically significant association was noted between ¬-HCH residues in milk and hemoglobin (Hb) level in maternal blood (P<0.001). Also, there was a significant association between fi-HCH and p,p0-DDT levels in milk and diastolic blood pressure of mother (P<0.05). An apparent negative relationship between p,p0-DDE level in mother's milk and birthweight of the baby was also noticed (P<0.05). These results highlight the need for periodic monitoring to determine organochlorine contamination in human milk and assess their impact on mother and on neonatal health.