Annex A: Discussion paper on the effects of excess Selenium on maternal health
Published 4 September 2026
© Crown copyright 2026
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This is a paper for discussion. This does not represent the views of the Committee and should not be cited.
1. Literature Search
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The literature search parameters included papers published between 1st January 2022 and 1st January 2026 and filtered for English language.
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Generic searches across Google and Pubmed were made to research the toxicokinetics/toxicodynamics of Selenium and to gather general background information from regulatory bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority, Committee on Toxicity etc.
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The following search terms were input into PubMed, and the relevant papers identified as well as references therein were cited in this paper:
Selenium and Toxicity
Women
Pregnancy
Gestation
Acute toxicity
Chronic toxicity
Reproductive toxicity
Maternal
Postnatal
Lactation
Fetus or Foetus
Genotoxic
Metabolites
Carcinogenicity
Selenosis
Placenta
Conception
Preconception