Tobacco Smoke Exposure During Pregnancy Increases Maternal Blood Lead Levels Affecting Neonate Birth Weight

Abstract

To assess the effect of lead exposure from cigarette smoke on fetal growth, blood lead concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 150 healthy pregnant women. Mean lead concentrations in plasma and whole blood were significantly higher in the smoking group compared with the nonsmoking group in each trimester of pregnancy (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed the highest impact of the number of cigarettes smoked per day for serum lead concentration (β = 0.238; p < 0.05), while in whole blood, it was duration of smoking before conception (β = 0.297; p < 0.001). Birth weight of the smoking mothers' infants was significantly lower (mean ± SEM, 3,192 ± 50.8 and 3,569 ± 49.6 g, respectively; p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with lead levels in plasma (r = −0.38; p < 0.001) and in whole blood (r = −0.27; p < 0.001). Therefore, it is suggested that smoking during pregnancy increases lead concentrations in maternal blood. Fetal exposure to low doses of lead in utero may be a serious risk factor causing lower birth weight.

The Northern Norway Mother-and-Child Contaminant Cohort (MISA) Study: PCA analyses of environmental contaminants in maternal sera and dietary intake in early pregnancy

“…Bjermo et al (2013) have demonstrated meat intake to be inversely related to blood Cd concentrations. Smoking also contributes to increased blood Pb concentrations (Chelchowska et al, 2013;Taylor et al, 2013), and its uptake is found to be inversely related to Fe-stores (Mahaffey, 1990). Exposure of the general population to Pb has been linked to multiple sources including: dietary (e.g., consumption of foods grown on contaminated soils, some wines, hunted game and waterfowl and the associated use of leaded ammunition); leaded paints; contaminated soils and air; and certain hobbies such as making Pb sinkers Meltzer et al, 2013;Hanning et al, 2003).…”

Association of Maternal Blood Lead Levels With Newborns Birth Weights.

“…In the present study the maternal BLLs mean was 10.31µg/dl which was higher than that reported by other studies such as study done in Karachi by Hakeem A on pregnant women in 2003 where the mean of BLLs was 9.9 (14) , study done in New York in 2005 by Zhu M et.al where maternal BLLs mean was 2.1 (11) , other study done in Iraq (Mousil city) where the mean was 3.2 (22) and study done in Iran in 2005 where the mean of BLLs was 9.9 (15) .These differences between results of these studies may be due to the differences ingestational age at which blood samples have been taken and methods used for detection of BLLs including commercial kits, atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. Nevertheless, the result of current study still reveals higher level in study sample.…”

“…The relationship between maternal blood lead levels and pregnancy out comes, includingmiscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity low birth weight andreduced head circumferences have had inconsistent results in studies (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17) .Several studies were carried out in this concern,some of them found a significant association for example, study done by Xiex G in china 2013 (11) ,another done by Zhu M in New York 2008 (12) ,and study of ChelchowskaM,Ambroszkiewicz J in Poland 2013 (13) . Other studies found insignificant association such as study done by Hakeem A in Karachi 2003 (14) , Besharati A and Nasseri F in Islamic Republic of Iran 2005 (15) , study of MirghaniZ,Al-Rhashidi A in Saudi Arabia 2010 (16) , as well as study done by Rahman A in Kuwait 2012 (17) .…”

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“…Securing a cigarette smoke-free environment for children is of particular importance. The loss of the balance in gene expression resulting in a slight imbalance of the protein networks can result in developmental disorders in children [60][61][62][63] and ultimately in different disease patterns in adulthood [64][65][66][67] Our DAVID data show clearly, that negative regulators of transcription are down-regulated by tobacco smoke ingredients. A strongly decreased level of expression in the treated cells compared to the level of expression in their control cells suggests that gene products have tumor suppressor gene (TSG) function.…”