Association of maternal blood lead level during pregnancy with child blood lead level and pregnancy outcome in Kuwait

Abstract

High blood lead levels (BLL) in pregnancy are associated with poor pregnancy outcome and neuro-behavioral deficits in infants. We investigated the prevalence of high BLL in pregnant women and its impact on pregnancy outcome in Kuwait. Blood from 194 mother-infant pairs were analyzed for lead by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Data were collected on birth weight, crown-heel length, head circumference, APGAR score, gestational age, and placental weight. Results revealed that 28% of pregnant women and 58% of infants had BLL >10 g/dL. Cord BLL was significantly higher than maternal BLL (10.92 vs. 5.77 g/dL, p < .001). Maternal BLL was not significantly associated with any of the outcome variables tested, whereas, cord BLL was a significant negative predictor of APGAR score only in boys. A significant proportion of pregnant women and their children in Kuwait have lead levels well above the safety limit, which is a matter of public health concern.