title: Changes in low levels of lead over the course of pregnancy and the association with birth outcomes.
abstract: Data are lacking on the effect of low level prenatal lead exposure. We examined the change in blood lead from the second trimester until delivery and the association between maternal and cord blood lead and birth outcomes in 98 participants of the CANDLE birth cohort study. Mixed effects models were constructed to assess blood lead change over pregnancy and regression models were used to explore the relationship with cord blood lead, characteristics effecting maternal lead, birth weight and gestational age. Overall, the geometric mean maternal blood level was 0.43 μg/dL. Maternal blood lead at each time point was predictive of cord blood lead level. A 0.1 μg/dL increase in second trimester lead was associated with lower birth weight and pre-term birth. Maternal blood lead below 1 μg/dL behaves in a manner similar to lead at higher levels and is associated with a small decrease in birth weight and gestational age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States. Electronic address: rabito@tulane.edu.
authors.forename: Felicia A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Rabito
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 66 North Pauline Street, 6th floor, Memphis TN 38105, United States.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kocak
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States.
authors.forename: Derek W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Werthmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 66 North Pauline Street, 6th floor, Memphis TN 38105, United States.
authors.forename: Frances A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Tylavsky
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, P.O. Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509, United States; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, P.O. Box 509, NY 12201-0509, United States.
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, P.O. Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509, United States; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, P.O. Box 509, NY 12201-0509, United States.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Parsons
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D007854:Lead
keywords: Birth weight; Blood lead; Fetus; Lead exposure; Low-level lead exposure; Pre-term birth; Pregnancy