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. 2017 Jul:156:145-147.
doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.03.028. Epub 2017 Mar 27.

Geophagy during pregnancy: Is there a health risk for infants?

Claudia Gundacker  1 , Ruth Kutalek  2 , Rosina Glaunach  3 , Coloman Deweis  3 , Markus Hengstschläger  1 , Armin Prinz  3
Affiliations

Geophagy during pregnancy: Is there a health risk for infants?

Claudia Gundacker et al. Environ Res. 2017 Jul.

Abstract

Prenatal lead exposure is a public health concern. Geophagy, the practice of soil eating, is documented for pregnant women of sub-Saharan Africa to treat pregnancy-related malaise. The soils however can contain substantial amounts of lead. In an exploratory study on 48 mother-child pairs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we found striking site-specific differences in prenatal lead exposure, i.e., higher lead levels at Kisangani than at Isiro. Kisangani women consumed 1/ more often soil during the first trimester of pregnancy as well as 2/ a different type of soil compared to Isiro women (P<0.05). We conclude geophagy may be a potential source of prenatal lead exposure.

Keywords: Africa; Geophagy; Lead; Pregnant women; Risk; Soil consumption.

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