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Numerous case reports and news bulletins, as well as a few carefully completed studies, (1-2) demonstrate time and again that certain consumer products remain potential sources of lead exposure. Ever [...]

Lead poisoning and its long-term impacts are largely preventable, yet millions of children worldwide remain at risk for exposure to persistent lead hazards in the environment. (1) In the United [...]

Background: Lead can adversely affect child health across a wide range of exposure levels. We describe the distribution of blood lead levels (BLLs) in U.S. children ages 1-11 y by selected sociodemographic and housing characteristics over a 40-y period. Methods: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) II (1976-1980), NHANES III (Phase 1: 1988-1991 and Phase II: 1991-1994), and Continuous NHANES (1999-2016) were used to describe the distribution of BLLs (in micrograms per deciliter; 1 [micro]g/dL = 0.0483 [micro]mol/L) in U.S. children ages 1-11 y from 1976 to 2016. For all children with valid BLLs (n = 27,122), geometric mean (GM) BLLs [95% confidence intervals (CI)] and estimated prevalence [greater than or equal to] 5 [micro]g/dL (95% CI) were calculated overall and by selected characteristics, stratified by age group (1-5 y and 6-11 y). Results: The GM BLL in U.S. children ages 1-5 y declined from 15.2 [micro]g/dL (95% CI: 14.3, 16.1) in 1976-1980 to 0.83 [micro]g/dL (95% CI: 0.78, 0.88) in 2011-2016, representing a 94.5% decrease over time. For children ages 6-11 y, GM BLL declined from 12.7 [micro]g/dL (95% CI: 11.9, 13.4) in 1976-1980 to 0.60 [micro]g/dL (95% CI: 0.58, 0.63) in 2011-2016, representing a 95.3% decrease over time. Even so, for the most recent period (2011-2016), estimates indicate that approximately 385,775 children ages 1-11 y had BLLs greater than or equal to the CDC blood lead reference value of 5 [micro]g/dL. Higher GM BLLs were associated with non-Hispanic Black race/ethnicity, lower family income-to-poverty-ratio, and older housing age. Discussion: Overall, BLLs in U.S. children ages 1-11 y have decreased substantially over the past 40 y. Despite these notable declines in population exposures to lead over time, higher GM BLLs are consistently associated with risk factors such as race/ethnicity, poverty, and housing age that can be used to target blood lead screening efforts. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7932, Introduction Lead can adversely affect child health across a wide range of biological markers of exposure and no safe level of lead in children has been identified (ACCLPP 2012). Adverse [...]

Background: Lead can adversely affect maternal and child health across a wide range of exposures; developing fetuses and breastfeeding infants may be particularly vulnerable. We describe the distribution of blood lead levels (BLLs) in U.S. women of childbearing age and associations with sociodemographic, reproductive, smoking, and housing characteristics over a 40-y period. Methods: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) II, NHANES III Phase I and Phase II, and 1999-2016 continuous NHANES were used to describe the distribution of BLLs (given in micrograms per deciliter; 1 [micro]g/dL = 0.0483 [micro]mol/L) in U.S. women 15-49 years of age between 1976 and 2016. For all women with valid BLLs (n = 22,408), geometric mean (GM) BLLs and estimated prevalence of BLLs >5 [micro]g/dL were calculated overall and by selected demographic characteristics. For NHANES II, estimated prevalence of BLLs [greater than or equal to] 10 and [greater than or equal to] 20 [micro]g/dL were also calculated. Results: The most recent GM BLLs (2007-2010 and 2011-2016, respectively) were 0.81 [micro]g/dL [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79, 0.84] and 0.61 [micro]g/dL (95% CI: 0.59, 0.64). In comparison, GM BLLs in earlier periods (1976-1980, 1988-1991, and 1991-1994) were 10.37 [micro]g/dL (95% CI: 9.95, 10.79), 1.85 [micro]g/dL (95% CI: 1.75, 1.94), and 1.53 [micro]g/dL (95% CI: 1.45, 1.60), respectively. In 2011-2016, 0.7% of women of childbearing age had BLLs >5 [micro]g/dL, and higher BLLs were associated with older age, other race/ethnicity, birthplace outside the United States, four or more live births, exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, and ever pregnant or not currently pregnant. Discussion: Lead exposure in U.S. women of childbearing age is generally low and has substantially decreased over this 40-y period. However, based on these estimates, there are still at least 500,000 U.S. women being exposed to lead at levels that may harm developing fetuses or breastfeeding infants. Identifying high-risk women who are or intend to become pregnant remains an important public health issue. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5925, Introduction Despite overall declines in environmental sources, lead exposure remains an important public health problem for certain groups, including women of childbearing age, due to the potential exposure to the [...]

Introduction Estrogen inhibits lactation and bisphenol A (BPA) is a high production environmental estrogen. We hypothesize an inhibitory effect of BPA on lactation and aim to analyze the association between third trimester pregnancy urinary BPA and breastfeeding rates 1 month postpartum. Methods Odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) of breastfeeding and perceived insufficient milk supply (PIM) in relation to maternal peripartum urinary BPA concentrations were calculated in 216 mothers. Results 97.2 % of mothers in the lowest BPA tertile were breastfeeding at 1 month postpartum, compared to 89.9 % in highest (p = 0.01). Adjusted ORs (95 % CI) for not breastfeeding at 1 month were 1.9 (0.3, 10.7) and 4.3 (0.8, 21.6) for second and third BPA tertiles, respectively, compared to the lowest (p = 0.06, trend). 4.2 % reported PIM in the lowest BPA tertile, compared to 8.7 % in the highest (p = 0.03). Adjusted ORs (95 % CI) for PIM were 1.8 (0.4, 7.7) and 2.2 (0.5, 9.5), for the second and third BPA tertiles, respectively, compared to the lowest (p = 0.29, trend). Discussion These results suggest an association between maternal BPA exposure and decreased breastfeeding., Author(s): Nicole Kasper[sup.1] [sup.2] , Karen E. Peterson[sup.1] [sup.3] [sup.4 ] , Zhenzhen Zhang[sup.1] [sup.5] , Kelly K. Ferguson[sup.6] [sup.7] , Brisa N. Sanchez[sup.5] , Alejandra Cantoral[sup.8] , John D. [...]

We examined the association between life events stressors during pregnancy and low birth weight (LBW) among African Americans and Whites, while systematically controlling for potential confounders including individual characteristics and city-level variations and clustering. We analyzed data from 4970 women with singleton births who participated in the 2007 and 2010 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby Surveys. Multilevel logistic regression was used to assess the association between emotional, financial, spousal and traumatic stressors and LBW among African Americans and Whites. Potential confounders included were: the city-level Economic Hardship Index, maternal demographics, pre-pregnancy conditions, insurance, behavioral risk factors and social support. African Americans were significantly more likely to experience any domain of stressors during their pregnancy, compared to Whites (p < 0.001). Only the association between financial stressors and LBW was significantly different between African Americans and Whites (p for interaction = 0.015). Experience of financial stressors during pregnancy was significantly associated with LBW among African Americans (adjusted odds ratio = 1.49; 95 % confidence interval = 1.01-2.22) but not Whites. Differential impact of financial stressors during pregnancy may contribute to racial disparities in LBW between African Americans and Whites. We showed that financial life event stressors, but not other domains of stressors, were more likely to impact LBW among African Americans than Whites. Initiatives aimed at mitigating the negative impacts of financial stress during pregnancy may contribute to reducing disparities in birth outcomes between African Americans and Whites., Author(s): Yuan Zhao[sup.1] [sup.2] , Trace Kershaw[sup.1] [sup.3] , Adrienne S. Ettinger[sup.1] [sup.4] , Chandra Higgins[sup.2] , Michael C. Lu[sup.5] , Shin M. Chao[sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) Yale School of [...]

Flint, Michigan reignited the public discourse surrounding lead contamination in drinking water with Newark, New Jersey recently experiencing its own lead‐in‐water crisis. Following Flint's experience, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed changes to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), but these changes may not produce better detection of contamination. LCR testing requirements were evaluated for their ability to predict or identify problems from the recent (2015–2019) Newark lead exceedance data. LCR compliance and water quality data were obtained from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) website. Between 2002 and 2015, Newark sampled on a reduced sampling plan (50 samples once every 3 years), as required, for lead and copper. These samples were divided between Newark's two water sources with uneven sampling distribution across the city, further limiting the potential to identify a risk of lead in drinking water. Results suggest a more rigorous testing requirement may have identified the problem sooner. Limitations related to the LCR that prevented Newark water suppliers from earlier detection of lead risk will continue under the revised LCR. This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Water, Health, and SanitationScience of Water > Water Quality [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas dietary fats are known to influence bone mineral density, little is known about their effect on the skeletal stores of lead that are a pervasive source of fetal and infant lead exposure from heightened mobilization during pregnancy and lactation. This cross-sectional study examined the potential influence of maternal dietary intake of saturated and unsaturated fats on the relationship of lead levels in bone and breast milk during lactation. Lead was measured in blood, breast milk, and bone (patella and tibia) at 1 mo postpartum in 310 women in Mexico City. Dietary nutrient intake was assessed using a validated FFQ. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to study the influence of dietary saturated and unsaturated fats on the association between bone and breast milk lead. In multivariate models that included both the dietary intake of SFA and PUFA, an interquartile range increase in patella lead [-20/ [micro]g/g (0.097 [micro]mol/g)] was associated with a 24% (95% CI = 5-43) higher increase in breast milk lead in women in the lowest tertile of PUFA intake compared with those in the highest tertile of PUFA intake. Monounsaturated fatty acids did not modify the relationship between lead levels in patella and breast milk. In conclusion, higher maternal dietary intake of PUFA may limit the transfer of lead from bone to breast milk.