The relationship between maternal and neonatal umbilical cord blood lead levels and their correlation with neonatal anthropometric indices

Abstract

Background: Lead is an element, which can cross the placenta and enter the fetus during pregnancy if present in the blood of the expectant mother. Therefore, in this study, the level of lead in maternal and umbilical cord blood of neonates was determined, and its relationship with weight at birth, gestational age, height, and head circumference was investigated. Methods: In this cross sectional study, a total of 70 pregnant women and their newborns were selected at Mousavi Hospital of Zanjan, Iran, based on the inclusion criteria. The level of lead in the umbilical cord blood of newborns and mothers was evaluated, and its correlation with birth weight, gestational age, height, and head circumference was assessed. Results: The average level of lead in the maternal and cord blood was 11.01 μg/dL and 9.54 μg/dL, respectively, which indicates a significant difference (P < 0.001). In addition, therewasa significant inverse linear relationship between the level of lead in maternal blood and birth weight; therefore, an increase in the maternal blood lead level resulted in the lower weight of neonates at birth. However, there was no significant correlation between lead level and gestational age, height, or head circumference. Conclusions: In this study, the average lead level of pregnantwomenwas 11.01μg/dL in Zanjan, which is higher than the global standard (10 μg/dL). The birth weight of newborns, whose mothers had higher blood lead levels, was lower than that of other neonates. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the level of lead by the healthcare system in order to take effective measures and reduce lead pollution.