MATERNAL LOW-LEVEL LEAD AND PREGNANCY OUTCOMES

We examined the relationship between the concentrations of blood lead and pregnancy outcomes in a subset of 349 African American women who e nrolled in the program project, ''Nutrition, Other Factors, and the Ou tcome of Pregnancy.'' Vitamin-mineral supplement users had significant ly higher serum levels of ascorbic acid and vitamin E. Also, in supple ment users, there were significantly lower mean concentrations of mate rnal blood lead. Inverse correlations were found between maternal leve ls of lead and the antioxidant vitamins, vitamin E and ascorbic acid. In addition, significant Pearson's correlations were observed between maternal blood lead levels and the following variables: positive corre lations with calcium, phosphorus, mean corpuscular volume; inverse cor relations with gestational age, Ponderal Index, infant orientation, an d hematologic values. In the total subset, the three trimester sample means for maternal blood lead concentrations were not significantly di fferent for mothers of infants who weighed less than 2500 g (low birth weight) and those who were delivered infants who weighed 2500 g or mo re. Clinically, nutrition may play a role in the reduction of potentia lly adverse effects from lead during pregnancy, i.e. protection of the fetus against lead toxicity and/or free radical damage through the an tioxidant actions of vitamin E and ascorbic acid. Even when maternal b lood lead levels are within the so-called ''safe'' range, maternal/use of a vitamin supplement supplying vitamin E and ascorbic acid during pregnancy may offer protection.