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Prenatal lead exposure in Israel: an international comparison
1Department of Pediatrics, Hadassah University Hospital, Mt. Scopus, Israel. dvdamitai@matat.health.gov.il
Insights
Prenatal lead exposure is low in Israeli newborns, including those of recent immigrants from Russia. This study found no increased risk for lead poisoning in these infants compared to international data.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatrics
- Toxicology
Background:
- Prenatal lead exposure can negatively impact cognitive development.
- Lead poisoning is uncommon in Israel, with limited data on immigrant populations.
- Umbilical cord blood lead concentration (UCBLC) above 10 µg/dL is a concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess prenatal blood lead levels in Israeli newborns from mothers born in Israel versus recent immigrants from Russia.
- To compare Israeli prenatal lead exposure data with international findings.
Main Methods:
- Compared UCBLC in 70 newborns (35 immigrants, 35 Israel-born mothers).
- Measured maternal venous blood lead concentration (BLC) in 50 mothers.
- Correlated maternal and newborn BLC.
Main Results:
- Mean UCBLC was 3.53 µg/dL; mean maternal BLC was 3.90 µg/dL.
- No significant difference in UCBLC between immigrant and Israel-born groups.
- All but one newborn had UCBLC below 8.0 µg/dL.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal lead exposure was low in both study groups.
- Newborns of immigrant and Israel-born mothers showed no increased risk for lead poisoning.
- Prenatal lead exposure in this sample was lower than reported globally.
Background:
Prenatal lead exposure (umbilical cord blood lead concentration > 10 (micrograms/dl) may impair cognitive development. Childhood lead poisoning is infrequent in Israel, and there are no data on lead exposure in immigrants to Israel from the former Soviet Union.
Objectives:
To evaluate prenatal blood lead concentrations in Israeli newborns whose mothers were born in Israel and in those whose mothers recently immigrated from Russia, and to compare data of prenatal lead exposure in Israel with those reported from other countries.
Methods:
We compared the UCBLC of 35 newborns of new immigrants from Russia with a group of 35 newborns whose mothers were born in Israel. Venous BLC was also measured in 50 mothers. Data are compared with similar reports on prenatal lead exposure internationally.
Results:
The UCBLC in all 70 newborns (mean +/- SD) was 3.53 +/- 1.6 micrograms/dl, and mothers' BLC (mean +/- SD) was 3.90 +/- 1.39 micrograms/dl. UCBLC and BLC in the 50 mother-newborn pairs correlated (r = 0.36, P < 0.01). All newborns except one had UCBLC < 8.0 micrograms/dl. There was no significant difference between UCBLC in the two groups.
Conclusions:
Prenatal lead exposure among the study subjects in both groups was low. In this sample the newborns of mothers born in Israel and those whose mothers recently immigrated from Russia were not found to be at risk for lead poisoning. Prenatal lead exposure in this sample was low compared to that reported from various parts of the world.