Lead levels among pregnant women in Hennepin County.

The purpose of this study was to determine the blood lead levels (Pb-B) of urban pregnant women with low incomes and/or living in areas with heavily traveled roads, dilapidated housing, and industrial plants. We measured blood lead in 1,055 pregnant Minneapolis-area women at entry to prenatal care and in one-third of the sample during the second half of pregnancy. The mean Pb-B level of the first sample (n = 1,055) was 1.83 +/- 1.83 micrograms/dL; of the second sample (n = 375), 1.99 +/- 1.92 micrograms/dL. Only one woman had a Pb-B level greater than 12.0 micrograms/dL, which was the result of occupational exposure. The low lead levels found in this study indicate that it is not necessary to routinely screen pregnant women for elevated Pb-B levels in our geographic area. Rather, women should be screened via an environmental questionnaire to ascertain the risk of lead exposure.