Sj. Rothenberg et al., MATERNAL INFLUENCES ON CORD-BLOOD LEAD LEVELS, Journal of exposure analysis and environmental epidemiology, 6(2), 1996, pp. 211-227
We constructed models of umbilical cord blood lead (PbB), with and wit
hout the addition of maternal PbB as delivery and earlier in pregnancy
, to determine which factors explaining cord PbB depended upon materna
l PbB and which did not.We prospectively studied women of low-to-middl
e socioeconomic status who lived in the Valley of Mexico from 12 weeks
of pregnancy to delivery. We measured maternal venous PbB during preg
nancy and at delivery, and umbilical cord PbB (1-38 mu g/dl, 0.05-1.83
mu mol/l). We used multiple regression analyses to model cord PbB and
a legit analysis to model the maternal-cord PbB relationship Older mo
thers using lead-glazed pottery and canned foods delivered babies with
increased cord PbB, while those with occasional alcohol use during pr
egnancy, high milk intake, and more spontaneous abortions delivered ba
bies with lower cord PbB. Maternal PbB at 36 weeks of pregnancy and at
delivery independently explained additional variance in cord PbB, but
maternal PbB earlier in pregnancy did not. Some of the effects of lea
d-glazed pottery, maternal abortions, alcohol use, and canned food use
on cord PbB were mediated through maternal PbB. The effects of matern
al age and milk intake on cord PbB were independent of their influence
on maternal PbB near delivery. Cord PbBs were higher than maternal Pb
Bs at delivery in 33% of the cases, and were predominant in mothers ov
er 30 and those drinking milk less than once per day. Measurable influ
ence of maternal PbB on delivery cord PbB is limited to the four to ei
ght weeks prior to delivery. Many factors suspected of influencing bon
e lead also control cord PbB, some of them independently of their effe
ct on maternal delivery PbB. Minimizing fetal exposure near the end of
pregnancy may require long-term control of maternal lead exposure and
good management of pregnancy and diet.