The Relationship Between Blood Lead Level and Preeclampsia.
BACKGROUND
Lead is a heavy metal to which people are commonly exposed. One of the possible mechanisms of tissue damages caused by this toxic metal is oxidative stress, which in turn may cause numerous pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between maternal Blood Lead Level (BLL) and preeclampsia.


METHODS
The present case-control study was conducted on 158 pregnant women admitted to a hospital in Zanjan, Iran, from August 2015 to March 2016. To measure their BLL, 1.5 cc of blood was drawn from each participant. The demographic and obstetric details of the patients were recorded in a form. The potentiometric method was used to test the samples. The data obtained were analyzed by SPSS version 22, using Mann-Whitney U test, the Chi square, independent-samples t-test, Pearson product-moment correlation, and simple linear regression analysis.


RESULTS
The mean BLL was 6.24±1.74 μg/dl in the control group and 8.04±3.4 μg/dl in the preeclampsia group. The two groups were matching in terms of the mother's age and education and the household income. A significant relationship was observed between BLL and preeclampsia (p=0.028), as per every unit of increase (1 μg/dl) in BLL, systolic blood pressure increased by 0.014 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 0.013 mm Hg (p=0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained suggest a relationship between BLL and preeclampsia. Global health measures should be taken to remove the exposure to lead so as to reduce its absorption by pregnant women.
M.Sc. of Midwifery, Department of Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Fatemeh
F
Bayat
M.Sc. of Midwifery, Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Sedigheh Amir Ali
SA
Akbari
M.D., Gynecologist, Associate Professor, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Mousavi Hospital, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Atousa
A
Dabirioskoei
Ph.D. in Biostatics, Associate Professor, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Malihe
M
Nasiri
Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Professor, Metabolic Research Center and Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Aliosat
A
Mellati
Blood lead level (BLL); Preeclampsia; Pregnancy