Lead, erythrocyte protoporphyrin, and hematological parameters in normal maternal and umbilical cord blood from subjects of the Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia.

A survey was undertaken among 124 pregnant women living in Riyadh City to investigate the passage of lead from the pregnant mother to the unborn child. The mean maternal blood lead level was 5.49 +/- 2.6 micrograms/dl and for the umbilical cord was 4.14 +/- 1.81 micrograms/dl. Lead levels were higher in maternal than in the umbilical cord blood. The results are in agreement with other studies. In this study, an excellent correlation between the maternal and cord blood lead levels (r = .83, p < .0001) confirms the transfer of lead from the mother to the fetus. A weak but significant relationship was found between maternal blood lead concentrations and birth weight of newborns (r = -.271, p < .05), and it is concluded that low levels of lead exposure to pregnant women may be considered hazardous.