Determination of numbers of lead-exposed women of childbearing age and pregnant women: An integrated summary of a report to the U. S. Congress on childhood lead poisoning

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.9089121· OSTI ID:5624088

Crocetti, A F ^[1]; Mushak, P ^[2]; Schwartz, J ^[3]

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1. New York Medical College, NY (USA)
2. Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (USA)
3. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (USA)

In a Congressionally mandated study carried out under the aegis of the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and summarized in this article, the authors have provided estimates of the numbers of American women of childbearing age and the numbers of American pregnant women whose lead exposure is sufficiently elevated to pose an intrauterine toxicity risk. Exposures associated with such risk were defined as blood lead (PbB) levels > 10, > 15, < 20, and < 25 {mu}g/dL. Using PbB prevalence projection techniques based on the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II), they first generated projected 1984 prevalence of these PbB levels in white and black women of childbearing age, ages 15 to 19 and 20 to 44. White women in the two age bands had rates of PbBs > 10 {mu}g/dL of 9.2 and 9.7%, respectively. For black women, the corresponding rates were 8.2 and 19.7%, respectively. Pregnant black and white women in US SMSAs are approximately 9% of the US black and white childbearing age total, i.e., 3.6 million out of a 41.3 million SMSA total. Of these, 403,200 pregnant women were estimated to have PbB levels > 10 {mu}g/dL. Cumulative totals of exposed fetuses with persisting long-term exposure will be greater, in as much as a given fetus is never counted more than once in this type of survey. Over 10 years, the number would be over 4 million fetuses at elevated risk of health effects.

• OSTI ID: 5624088
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA), Vol. 89; ISSN 0091-6765
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
LEAD COMPOUNDS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRIES
FETUSES
HEALTH HAZARDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PREGNANCY
PRENATAL EXPOSURE
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
WOMEN
ANIMALS
FEMALES
HAZARDS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MAMMALS
MAN
PRIMATES
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology