Lead Information for OB/GYNs or Midwives

Lead can pass from a mother to her unborn baby. Maternal lead exposure during pregnancy can cause fetal lead exposure, which may impact fetus growth and neurodevelopment.

Too much lead in the mother’s body can:

  • Put a woman at risk of miscarriage
  • Cause the baby to be born too early or be underweight
  • Hurt the baby’s brain, kidneys, and nervous system
  • Cause the child to have learning or behavior problems
  • Section heading: Risk factors for lead exposure in pregnant and lactating women

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that only women who are at risk get tested. If your patient answers “yes” to any of the questions below, she may be at risk for lead exposure and a blood lead test should be considered.

  1. Do you live in or regularly visit an old house (built before 1978) that has peeling, chipping, dusting, or chalking paint?
  2. Do you live in or regularly visit an old house (built before 1978) with ongoing renovations that generate dust (e.g. sanding, scraping)?
  3. Sometimes pregnant women have the urge to eat things which are not food, such as clay, soil, plaster, or chip paints. Do you ever eat or chew non-food items?
  4. Do you have children in the house with elevated blood lead levels?
  5. Do you have a history of elevated blood lead levels?
  6. Are there any lead pipes in your home?
  7. Has your home been tested for lead in the water, and if so, were you told that the level was high?
  8. Do you use non-commercially prepared pottery or leaded crystal?
  9. Do you use any traditional folk remedies or cosmetics that are not sold in a regular drug store, are homemade, or imported?
  10. Do you or others in the household have an occupation or hobby involving lead exposure?
  11. Have you recently moved to the United States from another country?
  12. Do you live near a point source of lead, such as mines, smelters, or battery recycling plants (even if closed)?

For more information on preventing exposure to lead, please visit our sources of lead and prevention pages.

It's recommended to eat foods with calcium, iron, and vitamin C. These foods may help protect the mother and the unborn baby. See our nutrition page for a list of helpful foods and nutrients.

For more general information, visit the CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program website.

You can also view and download the CDC's Guidelines for the identification and management of lead exposure in pregnant and lactating women(PDF, 4MB).

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