Arsenic Exposure During Pregnancy: Impacts to Maternal and Fetal Cardiovascular Health

Abstract

Environmental exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs), primarily via contaminated food and water, affects over 140 million people worldwide and poses significant health risks during pregnancy. Gestational iAs exposure is linked to adverse maternal outcomes, including preeclampsia and altered heart structure and function, and fetal outcomes such as mortality, low birth weight, and congenital heart defects. Herein, we summarize current evidence on how prenatal iAs exposure affects cardiovascular health in mothers and offspring, highlighting the need to understand underlying mechanisms amid rising global maternal mortality.