The Effect of Cord Blood Lead Level on Neonatal Growth Parameters at a Tertiary Care Center in Southern India

Abstract

Context: Environmentally prevalent lead is a potentially hazardous metal. Depending on its absorption and desorption, lead causes detrimental effects. The growth of fetus and newborn is seriously impacted in utero due to lead exposure in mothers. Aims: (1) To determine the lead levels in cord blood and (2) to determine the relationship of blood lead levels with anthropometry in newborns. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional study, department of pediatrics for 6-month period (May 2022 to October 2022). Subjects and Methods: The study included term and preterm babies above 28 weeks of gestation, born to mothers without risk factors. Cord blood samples from 83 newborns were analyzed for lead levels by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Statistical Analysis: Taking power as 80% and alpha error as 5%, sample size (n = 83) was obtained using regression methods. Results: The average lead concentration in the cord blood was detected to be 0.4 μg/dL (0.05–1.90 μg/dL). Using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, decrease in birth weight with increasing lead levels was statistically significant (P = 0.0005, r = −0.464). The correlation between gestational age, length, head circumference, chest circumference of newborn, and cord blood lead level (r = −0.364, P = 0.001); (r = −0.343, P = 0.001); (r = −0.435, P = 0.0005); and (r = 0.446, P = 0.0005), respectively, was highly significant. A moderately significant correlation was found between abdominal circumference and cord blood lead level (r = −0.343, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Reduction in neonatal anthropometric measurements, especially the birth weight, length, chest circumference, and head circumference, was noted with increasing lead levels in umbilical cord blood.