Serum lead concentrations and blood pressure levels in pregnant women

Introduction: Human exposure to lead has been associated with various health problems, including hypertension, which is the main cause of maternal mortality during pregnancy, both in Brazil and in developed countries. Although the pathophysiology of hypertension during pregnancy is not completely understood, the importance of the immune system is clear, as well as the ability of lead to act in this pathophysiology.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between serum lead levels and blood pressure in pregnant women participating in the PIPA project pilot study.

Method: A total of 97 pregnant women participating in the study (PIPA) with serum lead levels obtained in the third trimester were selected. Blood pressures were categorized into two groups: altered BP or normal BP, and compared with maternal serum lead levels, which were categorized as serum lead > 5 μg /dL or serum lead < 5 μg /dL.

Results: Among the 97 patients, 20 presented altered BP, and 34 presented serum lead>5 μg/dL. A Prevalence Ratio of 1.51 (CI 95%; 0.69-3.29) was obtained from this relationship.

Conclusion: This study found a positive relationship between serum lead levels in the mother’s bloodstream and blood pressure, corroborating the literature. The low number of patients does not allow us to guarantee statistical significance, and further studies are required to obtain consistent results.

Keywords: Lead; Pregnancy hypertension; Environmental pollution.