Abstract

To examine links between lead and stress exposures throughout various periods of pregnancy and the neurodevelopment of the foetus. Methods: In the Shanghai Birth Cohort from 2013 to 2016, we assessed levels of maternal stress and prenatal lead. Midway through the pregnancy, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale were used to measure maternal stress. To evaluate neurodevelopment, the Ages-Stages-Questionnaires-3 and Bayley-III (at 24-months-of-age) were both employed. Prenatal lead and stress measurements were taken on a total of 2132 mother-child pairs. The geometric averages of cord blood lead and blood lead in early pregnancy were 1.46 g/dL and 1.33 g/dL, respectively. Anxiety and depression were detected in 1.89% and 0.14% of the study's female participants, respectively. After controlling for associated variables, combined exposures showed worse effects on children's social-emotional abilities than single exposures, especially combined exposure during early pregnancy.