Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of the National Medical Association logoLink to Journal of the National Medical Association
. 2001 Sep;93(9):317–319.

Neonatal lead poisoning from maternal pica behavior during pregnancy.

S Hamilton 1, S J Rothenberg 1, F A Khan 1, M Manalo 1, K C Norris 1
PMCID: PMC2593967  PMID: 11560285

Abstract

Lead toxicity has gained increasing attention in the public media because of its ubiquitous distribution in the environment and the potentially serious medical complications that it can induce, particularly in children. We present a case of an asymptomatic Hispanic woman who exhibited a unique form of pica during her pregnancy. By serendipity, she agreed to enroll into a lead screening study at our medical center when she presented to deliver her child. Her blood lead level was 119.4 microg/dL at delivery, and simultaneous measurement of the neonate's cord blood lead level was 113.6 microg/dL. The infant underwent an exchange transfusion, and the mother was treated with oral 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid. Both demonstrated dramatic biochemical improvement.

Full text

PDF
317

Images in this article

318Figure 1
on p.318

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bruhn C. M., Pangborn R. M. Reported incidence of pica among migrant families. J Am Diet Assoc. 1971 May;58(5):417–420. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Campbell J. R., Schaffer S. J., Szilagyi P. G., O'Connor K. G., Briss P., Weitzman M. Blood lead screening practices among US pediatricians. Pediatrics. 1996 Sep;98(3 Pt 1):372–377. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Federman D. G., Kirsner R. S., Federman G. S. Pica: are you hungry for the facts? Conn Med. 1997 Apr;61(4):207–209. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Landrigan P. J., Whitworth R. H., Baloh R. W., Staehling N. W., Barthel W. F., Rosenblum B. F. Neuropsychological dysfunction in children with chronic low-level lead absorption. Lancet. 1975 Mar 29;1(7909):708–712. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)91627-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Mielke H. W., Reagan P. L. Soil is an important pathway of human lead exposure. Environ Health Perspect. 1998 Feb;106 (Suppl 1):217–229. doi: 10.1289/ehp.98106s1217. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Qazi Q. H., Madahar C., Yuceoglu A. M. Temporary increase in chromosome breakage in an infant prenatally exposed to lead. Hum Genet. 1980 Feb;53(2):201–203. doi: 10.1007/BF00273496. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Rothenberg S. J., Manalo M., Jiang J., Khan F., Cuellar R., Reyes S., Sanchez M., Reynoso B., Aguilar A., Diaz M. Maternal blood lead level during pregnancy in South Central Los Angeles. Arch Environ Health. 1999 May-Jun;54(3):151–157. doi: 10.1080/00039899909602253. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Rutter M. Raised lead levels and impaired cognitive/behavioural functioning: a review of the evidence. Dev Med Child Neurol Suppl. 1980;42:1–26. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Smulian J. C., Motiwala S., Sigman R. K. Pica in a rural obstetric population. South Med J. 1995 Dec;88(12):1236–1240. doi: 10.1097/00007611-199512000-00010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Wedeen R. P., Ty A., Udasin I., Favata E. A., Jones K. W. Clinical application of in vivo tibial K-XRF for monitoring lead stores. Arch Environ Health. 1995 Sep-Oct;50(5):355–361. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1995.9935967. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of the National Medical Association are provided here courtesy of National Medical Association

RESOURCES