In healthy postpartum women after term vaginal delivery, the combined effects of the main sources of exposure to toxic metals in general population were evaluated, i.e. cigarette smoking (for Cd and Pb) and seafood/fish consumption (for Hg), and maternal gene polymorphism MT2A rs2836600 on the concentrations of the main toxic metals (Cd, Pb and Hg) and essential elements (Fe, Zn, Cu and Se) in maternal blood, placenta and cord blood, on the concentrations of steroid hormones in the placenta, and on concentrations of MT2 and free –SH groups in maternal serum. Study participants from coastal Croatia with a traditional Mediterranean diet rich in fish (n = 96) were compared with subjects from continental Croatia (n = 196). All samples were analysed by state-of-the-art methods, the analytical findings connected with the data on subjects from the questionnaire and all of the results were statistically evaluated. Smokers vs. non-smokers had higher Cd and Pb in maternal blood, cord blood and placenta, Fe and Cu in cord blood and Zn in placenta and lower concentrations of Se in maternal blood and free –SH groups in maternal serum whereas an increase of maternal serum MT2 was related to smoking intensity. No changes were found in hormones progesterone and estradiol in the placenta. In all of the biological samples, the levels of Hg and Se positively correlated with the frequency of fish consumption. Subjects from the coastal area had higher seafood intake (>55 % participants from the coast consumed fish at least once a week, and continental participants less than this or never). They also had higher concentrations of Fe in cord blood, Zn in placenta and Cd and Cu in maternal blood and placenta. No impact of single nucleotide polymorphism MT2A, c.-77A>G (rs28366003) was found on concentrations of Cd, Pb or Hg in maternal blood or birth weight and length. Non-smokers with AG/GG vs. AA genotype had lower concentrations of Fe in placenta. The original contribution of this work are the results that may lay the foundation for studies on the impact of the single nucleotide polymorphism MT2A on toxic and essential element levels and their health effects under conditions of everyday environmental exposure in women during the reproductive period and their offspring. Further studies in vulnerable population groups such as mother–child pairs and in the general Croatian population should include larger numbers of subjects and representative population groups considering main sources of metal intake.