Lead concentrations in maternal and cord blood in women users of surma eye cosmetics.
A prospective study was undertaken to analyse the lead concentrations in maternal and cord blood of 71 pregnant Arab women at term who used eye cosmetics, particularly "surma". A total of 64 mothers (90%) used eye cosmetics throughout pregnancy, and, of these, 45% used surma. The lead content of the cosmetics available in the market was found to vary between zero and 88%. The mean lead concentrations in all blood samples were higher than the accepted natural levels of 0.001 mumol/l, but lower than the subtoxic level of 1.9 mumol/l. The mean lead concentration of all samples was lower than the subtoxic level of 1.9 mumol/l but higher than that quoted in the literature and suggested to be a natural level (0.001 mumol/l). This indicates that other lead pollutants may be involved. Lead concentrations in maternal and cord blood correlated well, but did not show any significant difference between surma and non-surma users. None of the newborns showed apparent congenital anomalies and their birthweights were comparable to average Saudi birthweights.
Moghraby
S A
SA
Maternity Unit, King Abdul Aziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah
M A
MA
Karrar
O
O
Akiel
A S
AS
Shawaf
T A
TA
Majid
Y A
YA
D001724:Birth Weight; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia
D003358:Cosmetics; D007854:Lead