Cadmium and lead content of maternal and nevvbom hair: Relationship to parity, birth weight, and hypertension

Guy Huel, Claude Boudene, Michael A. Ibrahim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

Head hair samples were taken from 110 mothers and their newborns at delivery and analyzed for cadmi um and lead content. Positive association for cadmium content, but not lead, was found between mothers and newborns. Correlation between the two metals was observed in the babies' hair. Lead levels in the mothers' hair were higher in mothers of parity three or greater than in primiparous mothers. I nverse relationships were found (1) between the cadmium content in babies' hair and their birthweight and (2) between the lead content in mothers' hair and the babies' gestational age. Cadmium levels in babies of hypertensive mothers were 3 times as high as in the hypertensive mothers themselves. A possible change in the permeability of the placenta during pregnancy was postulated.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)221-227
Number of pages7
JournalArchives of Environmental Health
Volume36
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1981
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Environmental Science(all)
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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