Lead in neonates and mothers.

Blood lead was estimated in mothers post partum and infants at birth using the Jarrell-Ash 810 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer equipped with the Delves cup sampling system. 1665 pairs (mother and her infant) of blood samples were examined. The geometric mean for mothers and infants was 59.6 micrograms/l, SD = 25.2, and 40.7 micrograms/l, SD = 20.1, respectively. 3.5% of mothers had lower blood lead concentration than their infants. A significant correlation was observed between the blood lead concentration of infants and mothers, r = 0.8111, y = 0.6322x + 3.868 +/- 11.345. The haematocrit ratio was estimated in 1209 pairs. The geometric mean for mothers and infants was 0.3937, SD = 0.0402 and 0.5158, SD = 0.0499, respectively. No significant correlation was observed between the haematocrit ratio of infants and mothers. Similarly, no significant correlation was observed between the haematocrit ratio and blood lead concentration of mothers and infants. The examination of blood lead concentration for seasonal variation showed no significant increase in lead, although a significant drop in values was observed in spring and possible explanations offered.