Structured Abstract

Contents

• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1. Introduction and Background
  • Purpose
  • Condition Background
• Chapter 2. Methods
  • Key Questions and Analytic Framework
  • Search Strategies
  • Study Selection
  • Data Abstraction and Quality Rating
  • Data Synthesis
  • External Review
  • Response to Public Comment
• Chapter 3. Results
  • Key Question 1a. Is There Direct Evidence That Screening for Elevated BLLs in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women Improves Health Outcomes?
  • Key Question 1b. Does the Effectiveness of Screening in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women Vary by Gestational Age?
  • Key Question 2. What Is the Accuracy of Questionnaires or Clinical Prediction Tools That Identify Pregnant Women Who Have Elevated BLLs?
  • Key Question 3. What Are the Harms of Screening for Elevated BLLs (With or Without Screening Questionnaires) in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women?
  • Key Question 4. Do Counseling and Nutritional Interventions, Residential Lead Hazard Control Techniques, or Chelation Therapy Reduce BLLs and Rates of Gestational Hypertension in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women With Elevated BLLs?
  • Key Question 5. Do Counseling and Nutritional Interventions, Residential Lead Hazard Control Techniques, or Chelation Therapy Improve Health Outcomes in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women With Elevated BLLs?
  • Key Question 6. What Are the Harms of Interventions in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women With Elevated BLLs?
  • Contextual Questions
• Chapter 4. Discussion
  • Summary of Review Findings
  • Contextual Issues
  • Generalizability
  • Limitations
  • Evidence for Priority Populations, Particularly Racial/Ethnic Minorities
  • Future Research
  • Conclusions
• References
• Appendixes
  • Appendix A. Detailed Methods
  • Appendix B. Evidence Tables
  • Appendix C. Quality Assessment

Suggested citation:

Cantor A, McDonagh M, Blazina I, Griffin J, Grusing S, Hendrickson R. Screening for Elevated Lead Levels in Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Evidence Synthesis No. 175. AHRQ Publication No. 18-05245-EF-2. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2019.

This report is based on research conducted by the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. HHSA-290-2015-00009-I, Task Order No. 7). The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its contents, and do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Therefore, no statement in this report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The information in this report is intended to help health care decisionmakers—patients and clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers, among others—make well-informed decisions and thereby improve the quality of health care services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for the application of clinical judgment. Anyone who makes decisions concerning the provision of clinical care should consider this report in the same way as any medical reference and in conjunction with all other pertinent information (i.e., in the context of available resources and circumstances presented by individual patients).

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or as a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

None of the investigators have any affiliations or financial involvement that conflicts with the material presented in this report.