Maternal smoking during pregnancy and blood lead levels in US children aged 1-15 years: associations modified by age and race.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Tobacco smoke is an important source of lead exposure. Maternal smoking during pregnancy likely transfers lead from the mother to the child, contributing to increased lead exposure in developing children. The present study aims to examine the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and blood lead levels (BLL) in children.

Methods

A total of 18,946 US children aged 1-15 years in the 1999-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included. We defined children with elevated BLL if BLL ≥ 3.5 µg/dL. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) of elevated BLL in children born to mothers who smoked versus nonsmoking mothers.

Results

A decreasing trend in the prevalence of elevated BLL occurred between 1999 and 2016. After adjustment for the trend

SUBMITTER: Sellars IA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12316522 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature