ArticleBMC women's health2025
Association between blood heavy metals exposure with uterine fibroids among American women: a cross-sectional analysis from NHANES data.
Article in BMC women's health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Applications of Machine Learning in the Research of Heavy Metal(loid)s-Related Risk: A Scoping Review of Methodology.Toxics · 2026Review
- Infertility Risk and Employment History Among US Women: Findings From National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2014.American journal of industrial medicine · 2026Article
- Global Burden of Lead Exposure: Integrating Epidemiology, Molecular Mechanisms, and Mitigation Approaches.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Metals and metal mixtures associated with the odds of uterine fibroid prevalence among African Caribbean women in the Tobago Health Study.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2026Article
- Beyond VEGF and TGF-β: A Comprehensive Review of Growth Factor Pathways in the Pathophysiology of Uterine Leiomyomas.Biology · 2026Review
- FIGO committee opinion: Environmental drivers of gynecologic and reproductive health.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2025Article
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5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundExcessive exposure to heavy metals has been linked to various health problems, including organ damage, neurological disorders, and reproductive and developmental abnormalities. However, the relationship between heavy metals exposure and uterine fibroids remains uncertain. To explore this association, we conducted a cross-sectional study among American women.
methodsWe utilized data from three cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2006) to evaluate the association between uterine fibroids and blood heavy metal levels, including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg). Weighted logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and subgroup analyse were used to examine the potential relationships between blood heavy metals and uterine fibroids.
resultsOf the 4502 American women studied, 542 (12.04%) had uterine fibroids. Elevated levels of all heavy metals were significantly more common in women with uterine fibroids (P < 0.001). Blood Hg levels were notably associated with uterine fibroid prevalence in the adjusted model (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.06-1.89, p = 0.03). Similar patterns were partly observed for blood Pb and Cd. Age and marital status were significant interaction factors concerning Hg exposure (P for interaction < 0.05). A dose-response relationship with an inflection point at 7µmol/L was identified for Hg, and BKMR models indicated a positive association between mixed heavy metal exposure and uterine fibroid risk.
conclusionsExposure to blood heavy metals, particularly Hg, is significantly associated with an elevated risk of uterine fibroids. Further prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings.
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