Pregnancy Alert: Hip Implants
Reported March 15, 2010
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Moms with metal hip implants pass metal ions on to their infants while pregnant. Although the effects of this transmission aren’t yet known, medical device companies are already working on technologies to reduce the release of ions from implants.
Data from a new study reveals a correlation between levels of cobalt and chromium in mothers with metal-on-metal (MoM) implants and their infants at time of delivery.
Maternal and umbilical cord blood was collected from three mothers with MoM implants at the time of delivery and tested for concentrations of titanium, nickel, cobalt and chromium. Results show mothers with the implants had elevated chromium and cobalt levels compared to control subjects.
“Although the effects of metal ions in maternal and fetal subjects are unknown, the fact that the placenta is not a complete barrier to the transport of these metals is noteworthy,” Joshua J. Jacobs, M.D., professor and Chairman of Orthopaedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Ill., was quoted as saying. “As metal-on-metal implants increase in popularity and use, especially among young, active patients, women of child-bearing age and their doctors should be aware of these findings when considering their hip replacement implant options.”
Source: Presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons