Three out of five pregnant and breastfeeding women had blood lead levels above 3.5 micrograms per decilitre. The World Health Organisation describes lead as a toxic metal with no known safe level in the blood. According to UNICEF when mothers are exposed to lead, it can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight.
The National Health Survey 2023 examined 124 pregnant women nationwide.
Of the women tested, nearly 60 per cent had blood lead levels higher than 3.5 micrograms per decilitre, and almost 30 per cent had levels above five micrograms per decilitre.
Similarly, just over two per cent had levels higher than 10 micrograms per decilitre.
Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Nursing and Public Health, Dr Phillip Erbele, said that lead can accumulate in the blood, soft tissues, or bones.
He added that, in adults, about 90 per cent of lead remains stable in the bones with fewer health impacts.
However, it can be released into the blood and soft tissues during traumatic events such as pregnancy, accidents, or cancer.
“After five years of age, for most of us, it will primarily be deposited in our bones. And so, you have that basically as a reservoir of lead in your body. It is quite stable, but then during pregnancy, the mother needs more micronutrients, more calcium, more iron, and different things. And if she is not getting it from her diet, calcium will start coming out of the bones. If lead has been deposited previously in their life, that lead will also come out too,” said Dr Phillip Erbele, Asst. Professor/Paediatrician at the Faculty of Nursing and Public Health.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention at the United States, if a mother is exposed to lead, it can pass to her baby through breast milk and cause developmental problems for the child.
However, Dr Philip advised that mothers should not stop breastfeeding, as bottle or formula feeding can have more disadvantages than breast milk.
He also added that lead exposure will affect the foetus and can harm the mother’s health as well.
“Lead is deposited in the soft tissue, and it can be deposited into your blood vessels, your cardiovascular system, your kidneys, other places. And so, you are at higher risk of chronic kidney problems, hypertension, increased risk of strokes and premature death from a cardiovascular event, whether that is a heart attack, a stroke.”
According to the doctor, if an individual is no longer exposed to lead, half of the lead in the blood and soft tissues can be removed within about 30 days. However, lead stored in the bones can take around 30 years to leave the body.
The World Health Organisation explains that people are exposed to lead through inhalation and consumption. To reduce lead exposure, it is recommended to avoid known sources of lead, maintain good hygiene, and eat a nutritious diet.
Singye Dema
Edited by Sherub Dorji
