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. 2025 May 16;13(5):399.
doi: 10.3390/toxics13050399.

Dietary Exposure to Food Contaminants of Pregnant Women in Northern Spain and Possible Effects on Fetal Anthropometric Parameters

Daniel Hinojosa-Nogueira  1 , José Ramón Bahamonde  2 , Marta Aguilera-Nieto  3 , Beatriz Navajas-Porras  4 , Verónica González-Vigil  5 , José Ángel Rufián-Henares  6 , Silvia Pastoriza de la Cueva  6
Affiliations

Dietary Exposure to Food Contaminants of Pregnant Women in Northern Spain and Possible Effects on Fetal Anthropometric Parameters

Daniel Hinojosa-Nogueira et al. Toxics. .

Abstract

A considerable number of organizations are working to improve food safety, with particular attention to vulnerable groups such as pregnant women due to the important influence of diet on fetal development. The aim of this study was to evaluate exposure to 11 food processing contaminants and their effects on maternal and fetal health. Online questionnaires during the first and third trimesters were used to analyze the intake and exposure to different food contaminants, estimated from the contaminants food database "CONT11", in 84 pregnant women in Oviedo (Spain) and their influence on newborn anthropometric data. Exposure to certain contaminants, such as acrylamide or total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, was found to have a significant impact on maternal and fetal health, particularly in relation to birth weight or head circumference. During the third trimester, pregnant women reported dietary improvement and reduced exposure to dietary contaminants. Identifying the foods and food groups that contribute most to exposure and the potential for health professionals will facilitate the development of basic exposure reduction strategies. This study is one of the few to assess the exposure of pregnant women to a wide range of contaminants and their impact on fetal health, providing a baseline for future research.

Keywords: dietary exposure; fetal anthropometry; food contaminants; pregnant women.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentage of food contaminants distributed by food group in relation to the food intake of pregnant women during both trimesters.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage of the difference in the intake of food contaminants between the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. Differences between paired samples. ** Significant at the p < 0.05 level. Shaded bands represent the 95% confidence interval around that mean.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Heatmap with correlations between exposure to food contaminants and fetal anthropometry. Correlation between variables. ** Significant at the p < 0.05 level.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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