Performance IQ in children is associated with blood cadmium concentration in early pregnancy

•We assessed performance IQ and prenatal blood cadmium.•Cadmium were inversely associated with performance IQ.•It was not related with verbal IQ.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether performance IQ in children is associated with maternal blood cadmium concentration in early pregnancy.MethodThe present study is a component of the Mothers’ and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study, a multi-center birth cohort project in Korea that began in 2006. The study cohort consisted of 119 children whose mothers underwent testing of blood cadmium during early pregnancy. All children were evaluated using the Korean version of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, revised edition (WPPSI-R), at 60 months of age. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between IQ in children and maternal blood cadmium concentration in early pregnancy, after adjustment for covariates.ResultsMaternal blood cadmium concentration during early pregnancy was inversely associated with performance IQ, after adjustment for covariates such as sex, educational levels of both parents, family income, and maternal BMI. Maternal blood cadmium concentration, however, was not associated with cognitive IQ.ConclusionPerformance IQ in children is associated with maternal blood cadmium concentration in early pregnancy.