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Neurobehavioural Effects of Foetal Lead Exposure: The First Year of Life

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Lead Exposure and Child Development

Summary

Evidence from several recent prospective and retrospective studies indicates that lead may be psychoteratogenic at relatively low levels of foetal exposure. In the present interim study, lead measured in whole blood during the prenatal (maternal blood lead) and neonatal periods was found to be inversely related to a complex of sensorimotor developmental indices at 6 and 12 months. Prenatal blood lead was also related to lower birth weight, which in turn was related to poorer sensorimotor performance in infants during the first year. These adverse effects were observed at levels of lead exposure common in pregnant women in the United States, Europe, and other developed areas.

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Authors
  1. K. N. Dietrich
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  2. K. M. Krafft
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  3. M. Bier
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  4. O. Berger
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  5. P. A. Succop
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  6. R. L. Bornschein
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Child Health Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London, UK

    M. A. Smith

  2. Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office Office of Health and Environment Assessment US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, 27711, NC, USA

    L. D. Grant (Director) (Director)

  3. Environment Research Programme, Commission of the European Communities, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049, Brussels, Belgium

    A. I. Sors (Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development) (Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development)

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© 1989 ECSC-EEC-EAEC, Brussels — Luxembourg; EPA, USA

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Dietrich, K.N., Krafft, K.M., Bier, M., Berger, O., Succop, P.A., Bornschein, R.L. (1989). Neurobehavioural Effects of Foetal Lead Exposure: The First Year of Life. In: Smith, M.A., Grant, L.D., Sors, A.I. (eds) Lead Exposure and Child Development. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0847-5_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0847-5_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6868-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-0847-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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