title: Prenatal lead exposure and relationship with maternal exposure determinants in a public maternity hospital of La Plata, Argentina.
abstract: Prenatal lead exposure is a health hazard that may cause cognitive development impairments and other adverse effects in children. We conducted a cross sectional study analyzing cord blood lead levels (CBLL) of newborns and their relationship with maternal determinants of lead exposure. Mothers answered a questionnaire about socio-demographic, lifestyle habits and environmental characteristics. We used Mann-Whitney's test to compare CBLL geometrical means (GM) corresponding to the presence or absence of each lead exposure determinant, and Chi square test to study the relationship between CBLL and maternal lead exposure determinants. A total of 159 newborns participated in the study. CBLL GM was 2.1 μg/dL; and 25% of the participants had a measurable CBLL (LOQ=3.3 μg/dl). Although the participants had several determinants of lead exposure, we only found a significant relationship with inside household determinants, such as presence of lead piping (p=0.026), unplastered walls (p=0.046) and peeling paint (p=0.048). Our results show that CBLL GM was similar to that reported in several studies conducted around the world. However, 25% of the participants might have some degree of risk for lead poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas (IDIP) "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri", Hospital de Niños de La Plata (Ministerio de Salud/CIC-PBA), La Plata, Argentina. Electronic address: enriqueflmartins@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas (IDIP) "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri", Hospital de Niños de La Plata (Ministerio de Salud/CIC-PBA), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varea
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas (IDIP) "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri", Hospital de Niños de La Plata (Ministerio de Salud/CIC-PBA), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Apezteguía
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas (IDIP) "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri", Hospital de Niños de La Plata (Ministerio de Salud/CIC-PBA), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Horacio F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Toxicología, Hospital de Niños "Sor María Ludovica" de La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Girardelli
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neonatología, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos "Gral. San Martín" de La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Laura Sanchez
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Caro
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos "Gral. San Martín" de La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lobisuto
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neonatología, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos "Gral. San Martín" de La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Griselda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas (IDIP) "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri", Hospital de Niños de La Plata (Ministerio de Salud/CIC-PBA), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Disalvo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006798:Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007854:Lead
keywords: BLL; Blood lead levels; CBLL; CI; GM; LOD; LOQ; MCT; OR; Pregnancy; Transplacental exposure; Umbilical cord blood; blood lead levels; confidence interval; cord blood lead levels; geometrical mean; limit of detection; limit of quantitation; measure of central tendency; odds ratio