IntroductionLead is a heavy metal to which people are commonly exposed. One of the possible mechanisms of tissue damages caused by this toxic metal is oxidative stress, which in turn may cause numerous pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between maternal Blood Lead Level (BLL) and preeclampsia.MethodsThe present case-control study was conducted on 158 pregnant women admitted to a hospital in Zanjan, Iran, from August 2015 to March 2016. To measure their BLL, 1.5 cc of blood was drawn from each participant. The demographic and obstetric details of the patients were recorded in a form. The potentiometric method was used to test the samples. The data obtained were analyzed by SPSS version 22, using Mann-Whitney U test, the Chi square, independent-samples t-test, Pearson product-moment correlation, and simple linear regression analysis.ResultsThe mean BLL was 6.24±1.74 μg/dl in the control group and 8.04±3.4 μg/dl in the preeclampsia group. The two groups were matching in terms of the mother’s age and education and the household income. A significant relationship was observed between BLL and preeclampsia (p=0.028), as per every unit of increase (1 μg/dl) in BLL, systolic blood pressure increased by 0.014 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 0.013 mm Hg (p=0.004).ConclusionThe results obtained suggest a relationship between BLL and preeclampsia. Global health measures should be taken to remove the exposure to lead so as to reduce its absorption by pregnant women.

Background: Lead exposure is one of the global health problems, especially among pregnant women. Objectives: In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the correlation between blood lead and blood indicators in healthy pregnant women. Methods: This correlational study was conducted on 80 pregnant women hospitalized in Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan during 2015. After receiving informed consent, 3.5 mL of their blood samples were taken for measuring the blood lead and indicators. Then, Symex was used to analyze hematologic indicators, followed by utilizing potentiometric method and Ion3 to measure blood lead level. Finally, data were analyzed by SPSS software, (version 22) applying Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression. A Pvalue of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean blood lead of the subjects was 6.24±1.74 μg/dL. Based on the results, a significant correlation was found between blood lead and hemoglobin (Hb: r=-0.39, P<0.001), mean corpuscular volume (MCV: r=-0.26, P=0.02), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH: r=0.27, P=0.013), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC: r=-0.327, P=0.003), and platelet number (Plt: r=0.359, P= 0.001). However, no significant correlation was observed between blood lead and other platelet and blood indicators. Conclusion: Overall, blood lead affects blood indicators. Therefore, it is suggested to plan and implement strategies to reduce exposure to lead in the environment, especially for pregnant women.