Is lead in drinking water safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about lead in drinking water during pregnancy?

1. Lead crosses the placenta, and the amount in the blood of the pregnant person and the fetus is almost the same. 1
2. Lead entered US plumbing legally until 1986, and up to 10 million American homes are still thought to be served by lead service lines. 2
3. More than 90 percent of the lead in the body is stored in bone and can be released during periods of high turnover such as pregnancy and lactation, so a past exposure can matter years later. 3
4. Elevated blood lead in pregnancy has been associated with miscarriage, reduced fetal growth, early birth and cognitive differences in the child, with a blood level above 5 micrograms per deciliter counted as elevated. 3
5. A diet low in calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin E is associated with absorbing more lead, and running the cold tap for three minutes before using it lowers what comes out of an older pipe. 1

Is lead in drinking water safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Sort this out early if you can, since organ development is happening now. Ask your water utility whether your service line is lead, and switch to a filter certified for lead while you wait for an answer.
• Second trimester. Iron, calcium and zinc are worth paying attention to now, because a diet short on them raises how much lead your gut absorbs. A prenatal vitamin and iron-rich meals do double duty here.
• Third trimester. Bone turnover rises in later pregnancy, which can release lead stored from exposures years ago. If you grew up in an older home, lived abroad, or worked around lead, this is worth raising with your clinician.