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Longitudinal Assessment of Methylmercury and Gut Microbes During Pregnancy

Methylmercury is a potent neurotoxin, and the fetal period is the most vulnerable exposure period. There is significant variability in methylmercury metabolism, which has been attributed to differences in the structure and function of the gut microbiome. Our main objective was to better understand the interplay between gut microorganisms and methylmercury metabolism during pregnancy. To address this aim, associations were investigated between maternal biomarkers (blood, hair, stool) for prenatal methylmercury exposure and maternal gut microbiota during early and late gestation.