Title: How lead exposure affects pregnancy and developing babies
Headings: How lead exposure affects pregnancy and developing babies
How lead exposure affects pregnancy and developing babies
Takeaways

Content: Lead easily crosses the placenta, which means if a mother is exposed to levels that are too high, her baby is as well. Lead’s main target is the nervous system, and in a baby whose brain, spinal cord, and nerves are rapidly growing, these can be easy targets. Prenatal lead exposure has been shown to cause higher rates of intrauterine growth restriction, which means babies are born abnormally small. Some studies have shown not only lower weights in these babies but also smaller head size and length. Babies who are exposed to toxic lead levels in utero can also go on to have neurodevelopmental issues as children. One study showed that the higher the lead levels found in a baby’s umbilical cord, the worse they performed on certain developmental scales as children. IQ scores may also be lower in babies exposed to prenatal lead. Children with higher lead levels have been shown to have higher rates of inattention and hyperactive behavior in school. Because of the many consequences of being exposed to high levels of lead when pregnant, women who have certain risk factors should discuss lead screening with their doctors or midwives. Not every pregnant woman needs this, but for those that do it can be an important part of their prenatal care.