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 language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 221-227 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Archives of Environmental Health |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1981 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Chemistry
- Environmental Science(all)
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis