Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/12047
Title: Chronic lead exposure and pregnancy
Authors: Savona-Ventura, Charles
Sammut, Michael
Ducoffre, Genevieve
Claeys, Francoise D.
Keywords: Fetus -- Effect of chemicals on -- Malta
Prenatal influences -- Malta
Fetus -- Abnormalities -- Malta
Fetus -- Development -- Malta
Newborn infants -- Health risk assessment
Issue Date: 1994
Publisher: International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine,
Citation: Savona-Ventura, C., Sammut, M., Ducoffre, G. & Claeys, F. (1994). Chronic lead exposure and pregnancy . International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, 6(1), 25-33
Abstract: The objective of the study was to determine the effect of chronic lead exposure on pregnancy and the newborn. Cord blood was assayed for blood lead levels (PbB) in a randomly selected group of 82 Maltese newborns. Twenty-eight (34.1 %) neonates had a PbB level greater than 200 ,ug/l. Two trends appeared with increasing blood lead levels suggesting a decrease in newborn birth weight (r = - 0.1445, P = 0.207) and an increase in the duration of the first stage of spontaneous labour (r = 0.1385, P = 0.3043). There appeared to be no mean differences in maternal third trimester haemoglobin, duration of gestation, and previous pregnancy loss in infants with high PbB levels compared to infants with low PbB. Through its properties of inhibiting enzymatic function and its competitiveness with other minerals, calcium and zinc, chronic sub-toxic lead exposure during pregnancy may cause adverse effects on the neonate and pregnancy.
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/12047
Appears in Collections:Scholarly Works - FacM&SOG

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