Impact of prenatal exposure to crude oil pollutants on newborn anthropometrics and thyroid hormone levels in Southern Nigeria

Background: The search and extraction of crude oil produce harmful environmental compounds and expose individuals, particularly during crucial and vulnerable stages of development like pregnancy, to a variety of negative health impacts. Aim: This study aims to assess the effects of prenatal exposure to ambient crude oil pollutants on selected newborn anthropometric measurements and maternal/cord blood thyroid hormone levels in crude oil-producing communities. Methods: Fifty pregnant women were environmentally exposed to crude oil, along with their newborns, and 30 pregnant women who were not exposed, along with their infants, were enrolled in the study. Maternal blood was obtained between weeks 29 and 39 of pregnancy, while cord blood was collected after birth. Thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine [T3], thyroxine [T4], and thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The newborn’s weight, length, and head circumference were measured, and the ponderal index (PI) was calculated for all study neonates. Results: The results indicated that selected newborn health indicators (recumbent length, head circumference, and PI) were considerably lower in infants exposed before birth compared to non-exposed neonates. TSH in cord blood was much lower, but T3 and T4 levels were significantly greater in prenatally exposed newborns than in prenatally unexposed neonates. Serum TSH levels were notably higher, whereas T3 and T4 levels were reduced in women exposed to crude oil than in expectant mothers who were not. The difference in mean glucose levels between exposed and non-exposed expectant mothers was insignificant. Both mothers and newborns exposed to ambient crude oil toxicants displayed mild or silent changes in thyroid hormone levels. Conclusion: Silent hypothyroidism in crude oil-exposed mothers and hyperthyroidism in prenatally exposed neonates might be responsible for the changes in health indicators of neonates. Health education and awareness of the dangers associated with crude oil exposure, as well as preventive measures, should be intensified in these communities. Relevance for patients: Prenatal exposure to crude oil pollutants can impair growth and development and pose a threat to the health of newborn infants.