Lead ingestion is considered a major public health problem for infants and children with deleterious effects observed at lower blood lead levels than previously believed. The investigators propose a prospective study of 1000 pregnant women ages 11-30 years, in a triracial community, to examine the role of maternal bone turnover during pregnancy and lactation as a potential source of lead exposure for the fetus and infant (during lactation). The lead sequestered in maternal bone may be mobilized in the process of providing calcium for the fetal and newborn skeleton. This prospective study will allow the investigators to examine lead mobilization from bone turnover in still- growing, adolescent and mature mothers.
The specific aims are as follow. 1: To measure maternal blood lead levels and bone (by ultrasound of the os calcis and bone turnover markers) during pregnancy, to correlate these measurements, and to describe them according to characteristics of the mother. 2: To measure maternal blood lead levels and bone (by dual X-ray densitometry, os calcis ultrasound and bone turnover markers) in adolescent and adult women at parturition and at 3, 6, 12 months postpartum to describe the association of these levels by breastfeeding practice and/or maternal growth characteristics. 3: To measure the amount of lead in breast milk and to describe these amount according to maternal bone turnover, growth, chronological and gynecological age, and dietary practices. 4: To measure cord blood lead and whole blood lead in the infant at 6 months postpartum for correlation with maternal lead levels (both blood and breast milk, if applicable), type of infant feeding (breast or bottle feeding), and infant growth characteristics. 5: To relate maternal blood lead levels during pregnancy to maternal blood pressure (during pregnancy), duration of gestation, and infant birthweight. The investigators state that this study has important public health ramifications for understanding if and how accelerated bone turnover in reproduction can accelerate exposure to lead with implications for maternal and infant morbidity.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01ES007437-02
Application #
2444230
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG4-EDC-1 (02))
Project Start
1996-07-01
Project End
2001-06-30
Budget Start
1997-07-01
Budget End
1998-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ
Department
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Type
Schools of Osteopathy
DUNS #
City
Stratford
State
NJ
Country
United States
Zip Code
08084
Scholl, Theresa O; Chen, Xinhua; Goldberg, Gary S et al. (2011) Maternal diet, C-reactive protein, and the outcome of pregnancy. J Am Coll Nutr 30:233-40
Scholl, Theresa O; Chen, Xinhua (2009) Vitamin D intake during pregnancy: association with maternal characteristics and infant birth weight. Early Hum Dev 85:231-4
Scholl, Theresa O (2005) Iron status during pregnancy: setting the stage for mother and infant. Am J Clin Nutr 81:1218S-1222S
Scholl, Theresa O; Chen, Xinhua (2002) Insulin and the ""thrifty"" woman: the influence of insulin during pregnancy on gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention. Matern Child Health J 6:255-61
Sowers, MaryFran; Jannausch, Mary; Scholl, Theresa et al. (2002) Blood lead concentrations and pregnancy outcomes. Arch Environ Health 57:489-95
Sowers, MaryFran R; Scholl, Theresa O; Hall, Gene et al. (2002) Lead in breast milk and maternal bone turnover. Am J Obstet Gynecol 187:770-6
Scholl, T O; Sowers, M; Chen, X et al. (2001) Maternal glucose concentration influences fetal growth, gestation, and pregnancy complications. Am J Epidemiol 154:514-20
Sowers, M; Scholl, T; Grewal, J et al. (2001) IGF-I, osteocalcin, and bone change in pregnant normotensive and pre-eclamptic women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86:5898-903
Johnson, W; Spychala, J; Stenroos, E et al. (2001) Smoking behavior and the C677T allele of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene. Am J Med Genet 98:361-2
Sowers, M F; Scholl, T; Harris, L et al. (2000) Bone loss in adolescent and adult pregnant women. Obstet Gynecol 96:189-93

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