Pregnancy and metal ions By Pat Campbell

June 2008
Also let me note that the concern about metal ions in pregnancy is actually not about mutation of the sperm or egg, but the exposure to metal ions affecting the developing fetus. That is why they looked at trans-placental transfer. They saw that there were increased levels of ions in the fetal side of the placenta, but thankfully, no abnormalities have been seen in the children. There are no studies that I am aware of that have been done on the male side. They just completed a study on the female side that is available I believe on JBJS. Mr. McMinn has 15 patients that he is aware of that have given birth to all healthy children since resurfacing, but again that is on the female side. The study found that although the metal does cross the placenta, the passage of metal ions is moderated by the placenta and they found no significant difference in elevated exposure to metal ions. It was similar to that of Ceramic on Metal or poly on metal. Again, I realize that this has nothing to do with male and sperm, but since this subject came up I thought I would share it in this thread. So basically the metal ion scare for pregnancy and child birth is no more of a worry than that of other hip devices or knee implants as well.”

Here is one study I found online published in 2004

Available online 01 December 2004.

Article on Science Direct

Abstract
Umbilical cord serum and corresponding maternal serum of 3 women with uncemented metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasties were analyzed for cobalt and chromium. The women were an average 3.8 (range, 2–5) years after hip surgery. At the time of delivery, the maternal chromium concentrations were 1.6 μg/l, 0.5 μg/l, and 0.9 μg/l, respectively, and the maternal cobalt concentration was 1 μg/l in the first woman and below the detection limit in the other 2 women. Cobalt and chromium concentrations of the 3 umbilical cord sera also were below the detection limit. This indicates that—with regard to the detection limit of our laboratory—we were unable to observe a passage of cobalt and chromium ions from metal-on-metal articulations across the placenta at the time of delivery."

And another one that is probably the one presented at the Miami conference that states the placenta exerts a modulatory effect on the rate of metal ion transfer.

http://www.jbjs.org.uk/cgi/content/abstract/89-B/3/301

Transplacental transfer of cobalt and chromium in patients with metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty
A CONTROLLED STUDY

Metal-on-metal bearings are being increasingly used in young patients. The potential adverse effects of systemic metal ion elevation are the subject of ongoing investigation. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether cobalt and chromium ions cross the placenta of pregnant women with a metal-on-metal hip resurfacing and reach the developing fetus. Whole blood levels were estimated using high-resolution inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Our findings showed that cobalt and chromium are able to cross the placenta in the study patients with metal-on-metal hip resurfacings and in control subjects without any metal implants. In the study group the mean concentrations of cobalt and chromium in the maternal blood were 1.39 µg/l (0.55 to 2.55) and 1.28 µg/l (0.52 to 2.39), respectively. The mean umbilical cord blood concentrations of cobalt and chromium were comparatively lower, at 0.839 µg/l (0.42 to 1.75) and 0.378 µg/l (0.14 to 1.03), respectively, and this difference was significant with respect to chromium (p < 0.05).

In the control group, the mean concentrations of cobalt and chromium in the maternal blood were 0.341 µg/l (0.18 to 0.54) and 0.199 µg/l (0.12 to 0.33), and in the umbilical cord blood they were 0.336 µg/l (0.17 to 0.5) and 0.194 µg/l (0.11 to 0.56), respectively. The differences between the maternal and umbilical cord blood levels in the controls were marginal, and not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The mean cord blood level of cobalt in the study patients was significantly greater than that in the control group (p < 0.01). Although the mean umbilical cord blood chromium level was nearly twice as high in the study patients (0.378 µg/l) as in the controls (0.1934 µg/l), this difference was not statistically significant. (p > 0.05)

The transplacental transfer rate was in excess of 95% in the controls for both metals, but only 29% for chromium and 60% for cobalt in study patients, suggesting that the placenta exerts a modulatory effect on the rate of metal ion transfer.

Vicky, LBHR Dr. Bose Dec 01 05