Lead in umbilical cord blood of neonates born in northern Lima

The aim of this study was to describe the concentration of lead in umbilical cord blood (UCB) of neonates born from primiparous women who live in northern Lima. A cross sectional study was carried out at Cayetano Heredia National Hospital, from July 2011 to January 2012. 100 neonates born from primiparous women who lived in northern Lima in the previous 5 years or more were included. Umbilical cord lead levels were measured by the atomic adsorption method, and the demographic information and risk factors of the neonates were filled in a patient record designed to this purpose. 30% of the neonates had concentration of lead in UCB that was considered as increased risk (≥ 3,0 μg/dL), 16% of the cases had had toxic concentration of lead in UCB (≥ 5 μg/dL). We conclude that there are a high percentage of neonates contaminated with lead in the northern Lima.