Skip Navigation
Improving lifelong health one pregnancy at a time.
English
Español
Português
Donate Now
Get Free Videos
Your Life Before Birth Video
Free Mobile Apps
Get Free EHD Videos
When Health Begins
The Virtual Human Embryo
Prenatal Development DVD
Image Gallery
Movie Theater
DVD Documentation Center
Multilingual Illustrated DVD
Educator's Corner
Classic Works
Prenatal Summary
Prenatal Timeline
Prenatal Overview
EHD Store
About EHD
Recommended Reading
Support EHD
Sign up for EHD's newsletter
Home
Fact Sheet - Mercury
More Options...
Exposure to mercury occurs from breathing contaminated air, ingesting contaminated water and food, and having dental and medical treatments.
Exposure to high levels of metallic, inorganic, or organic mercury can permanently damage the brain, kidneys, and developing fetus.
Short-term exposure to high levels of metallic mercury vapors may cause effects including lung damage, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases in blood pressure or heart rate, skin rashes, and eye irritation.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that mercuric chloride and methylmercury are possible human carcinogens.
An infant may be exposed to mercury through breast milk.
Mercury passed from the mother to the fetus may cause brain damage, mental retardation, incoordination, blindness, seizures, and inability to speak.
To reduce exposure to mercury, carefully handle and dispose of products that contain mercury, such as thermometers or fluorescent light bulbs.
Twenty thousand tons of mercury are released into the environment each year by human activities such as combustion of fossil fuels and other industrial releases.
Include topic names
Include bibliography
Include footnotes
Bullets:
Remove Bullets
Disc (
)
Circle (
)
Square (
)
Clover (
)
Arrow (
)
Numbers (1, 2, 3...)
Output fact sheet as: