Can prenatal metal mixtures affect your child's lungs and asthma risk?

What's actually in it

Pregnant women are exposed to metal mixtures through food, water, air, and household dust. Common metals include lead from old pipes, mercury from fish, arsenic from rice and water, cadmium from food, and manganese from tap water. These metals cross the placenta and reach the baby's developing lungs.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Am J Epidemiol from Project Viva measured metal mixtures in pregnant women during early pregnancy and tested their children's lung function in mid-childhood. The researchers found that higher prenatal metal mixture exposure was linked to worse lung function and more asthma in the children.

The mixture of metals together had a stronger effect than any single metal alone. Lead and arsenic were among the most harmful metals in the mix. The effects showed up years after birth, meaning the damage was programmed during fetal development.

During pregnancy, filter your water, eat a varied diet, limit high-mercury fish, and rinse rice before cooking. Getting enough iron and calcium helps your body absorb less of these toxic metals.