Blood lead concentrations and pregnancy outcomes

Arch Environ Health. 2002 Sep-Oct;57(5):489-95. doi: 10.1080/00039890209601442.

Abstract

In this study, the authors related blood lead concentrations to Apgar scores, birth weight, gestational age, small-for-gestational age, and hypertension in pregnancy (HIP)/toxemia. Data and blood were collected 4 times during pregnancy from 705 women, aged 12-34 yr. Blood lead concentrations, measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, were related to reproductive outcomes, abstracted from medical records. Average blood lead concentrations were 1.2 microgram/dl (standard error = +/- 0.03). Maternal blood lead concentrations were related significantly to HIP/toxemia--before and after adjusting for age, calcium intake, and race/ethnicity (p < .03). Longitudinal regression analyses revealed that blood lead concentrations in women with HIP/toxemia changed by 0.02 microgram/dl for every 0.01 microgram/dl change in women without HIP/toxemia. Maternal blood lead concentration and its change were not significantly associated with other reproductive outcomes. Low levels of maternal blood lead concentrations were significantly associated with HIP/toxemia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Apgar Score
  • Birth Weight
  • Calcium, Dietary / administration & dosage
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / chemically induced
  • Hypertension / diagnosis
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Small for Gestational Age
  • Lead / blood*
  • Lead Poisoning / blood*
  • Lead Poisoning / complications*
  • New Jersey / epidemiology
  • Pre-Eclampsia / chemically induced
  • Pre-Eclampsia / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / blood*
  • Pregnancy Outcome / epidemiology*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Spectrophotometry, Atomic

Substances

  • Calcium, Dietary
  • Lead