Assessment of Blood Lead Levels in Mothers Addicted to Opium and Their Neonates in Kerman: A Cross-sectional Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Pediatrics, Afzalipoor Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

2 Department of Pediatrics, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran

10.34172/ahj.2024.1439

Abstract

Background: High blood lead levels (BLLs) in pregnant women are associated with poor outcome in neonates. One of the 
newest non-occupational sources of lead contamination is opium consumption. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess BLLs in 
mothers addicted to opium and their neonates in Kerman. 
Methods: This cross-sectional was conducted in Afzalipour hospital in Kerman, from February 2019 to February 2020. The BLLs 
were measured in 100 opium-addicted and non-addicted mothers and their newborns, and the lead levels higher than 5 μg/dL 
were considered contamination. Then, the demographic and anthropometric data were compared.
Findings: Based on the results of the present study, the BLLs of opium-addicted mothers (33.40±9.22 μg/dL vs 3.2±1.5 μg/dL) and 
their neonates (13.46±4.86 vs 1.1±0.9) were significantly higher (P=0.001) than those of non-addicts. Moreover, the average 
birth weight of the newborns in the addicted group was significantly lower than in the non-addicted group (2572.8±77.49 
vs 2946±46.87) (P=0.001). Besides, there was a significant relationship between the average birth weight and the BLL of the 
mother and baby, and the average weight of the babies was significantly lower at higher levels of lead. However, no correlation
was observed regarding the average height and head circumference of the neonates (P>0.05).
Conclusion: It seems that the serum level of lead in neonates of opium-addicted mothers contaminated with lead is significantly 
higher than that of non-addicts, but their anthropometric characteristics at birth were not different from those of the nonaddicted group. 

Highlights

Fatemeh Sabzevari: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Maryam Ahmadipour: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Najmeh Nezamabadipour: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Abbas Jahanara: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Keywords


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