Table 1 Basic characteristics of the eligible studies

Peng

China

Retrospective case-control study nested in a cohort

WHO Criteria [34]

Meconium

24–28

0.06 µg/L

quartile

Shapiro

Canada

Cohort study

CDA-SOGC Criteria [35, 36]

Blood

first trimester

0.22 µg/L

quartile

Ashley-Martin

Canada

Cohort study

CDA-SOGC Criteria [35, 36]

Urine

first trimester

0.75 µg/L

tertile

Khan

Bangladesh

Cross-sectional study

WHO Criteria [34]

Urine

29.44 ± 3.20

Not As exposed:

≤ 0.100 mg/L

As exposed:

> 0.100 mg/L

not said

Marie

French

Semiecological study

CNGOF Criteria [37]

Tap water

24–28

Not As exposed:

< 10 µg/L

As Exposed:

a. Low

10–30 µg/L

b. High

 ≥ 30 µg/L

not said

Muñoz

Chile

Cross-sectional study

WHO Criteria [34]

Urine

24–28

0.1 µg/L

tertile

Xia

China

Cohort study

ADA Criteria [38]

Blood

39.03 ± 1.39

0.0047 µg/L

quartile

Wang

China

Cohort study

ADA Criteria [38]

Blood

≥ 29

As level:

a. Low

 < 10.64 µg/L

b. Middle

10.64–21.12 µg/L

c. High

 ≥ 21.12 µg/L

tertile

Wang

China

Cohort study

ADA Criteria [38]

Urine

< 20

0.009 µg/L

CAU-As:

a. Low

 < 32.11 µg/L

b. Middle

32.11–48.11 µg/L

c. High

 ≥ 48.11 µg/L

tertile

Chen

America

Case-control study

ADA Criteria [38]

Urine

24–28

1.25 µg/L

tertile

Jia

China

Retrospective case-control study nested in a cohort

ADA Criteria [38]

Hair

< 20

0.011 µg/L

binary

Zhang

China

Cross-sectional study

MOH Criteria [39]

Urine

24–28

0.2 µg/L for the As³⁺, MMA, DMA, and AsB,

and 0.5 µg/L for As⁵⁺.

quartile

Liang

China

Cross-sectional study

MOH Criteria [39]

Urine

24–28

As³⁺, MMA, DMA, and AsB were 0.2 µg/L and 0.5 µg/L for As⁵⁺

tertile