title: Perinatal lead and cadmium burden in a British urban population.
abstract: Concentrations of the potential pollutants, lead and cadmium, were studied in the perinatal period in a British urban population. Blood lead and cadmium concentrations and iron status were measured in 28 mother and infant pairs at delivery and at five days postpartum in the mother; breast milk collected at five days postpartum under controlled conditions was analysed for lead and cadmium. Placental transfer of both metals was noted; concentrations of lead in breast milk (mean concentration 0.01 mmol/l (2 micrograms/l) were less than in two brands of commercial prepacked formulas, and the concentration of cadmium in breast milk and prepacked formulas (mean 3.6 nmol/l (0.4 microgram/l] were similar. The risk of excess lead or cadmium intake from breast milk is small.
mesh_terms: D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008131:London; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead