The coelomic cavity — A reservoir for metals

Abstract OBJECTIVE: The concentrations of metals in fluids surrounding the first trimester fetus were measured. STUDY DESIGN: Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure concentrations of metals in matched samples of amniotic and extraembryonic coelomic fluids in 17 women between 9 and 12 weeks of pregnancy. RESULTS: Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and manganese (but not zinc, cadmium, or lead) were significantly higher in coelomic than in amniotic fluid. There was no significant difference between levels of iron, manganese, and lead to controls and amniotic fluid or between concentrations of manganese, cadmium, and lead in controls and coelomic fluid. There was no relationship between the concentrations of each metal in amniotic and coelomic fluid. CONCLUSION: The extraembryonic coelom is an important site of concentration of metals in early pregnancy. This might represent a store of metals essential for normal embryonic and fetal development or constitute a defense mechanism against environmental conditions adverse to the fetus.