title: Low level prenatal blood lead adversely affects early childhood mental development.
abstract: The effect of prenatal lead exposure on child development has been a topic of public health concern for decades. To estimate prenatal lead exposure effects on early childhood development, maternal blood (n = 364) and umbilical cord blood (n = 224) samples were collected during pregnancy and at delivery. Mental development was assessed using the Harold Ireton Early Child Development Inventory from 174 children. Maternal whole blood lead levels in the first trimester were significantly higher in children with developmental scores <20% than in those with normal scores (mean ± standard deviation: 6.3 ± 1.9 vs 4.0 ± 2.4 µg/dL, respectively, P = .01). Maternal blood lead levels in the first trimester were also inversely associated with the development scores (r = -0.155, P = .041). Logistic regression analysis showed a significant relationship between increasing maternal blood lead levels in the first trimester with low development scores (odds ratio = 1.74, 95% confidence interval = 1.18-2.57, P = .005). The findings of the present study showed a relatively low level of prenatal lead exposure (mean < 6.5 µg/dL) associated with lower developmental scores in early childhood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hazard Assessment, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Kanagawa, Japan Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan vigeh@h.jniosh.go.jp.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vigeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsukawa
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Cultural Studies, Seisen University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.affiliation: Department of Hazard Assessment, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohtani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007854:Lead
keywords: children; lead; mental development; prenatal; prenatal lead exposure