Screening

Elevated Lead Levels in Childhood and Pregnancy

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
1996

Recommendation

Screening for elevated lead levels by measuring blood lead at least once at age 12 months is recommended for:

• All children at increased risk of lead exposure.
• All children with identifiable risk factors.
• All children living in communities in which the prevalence of blood lead levels requiring individual intervention, including residential lead hazard control or chelation therapy, is high or is undefined.

Evidence is currently insufficient to recommend an exact community prevalence below which targeted screening can be substituted for universal screening. Clinicians can seek guidance from their local or State health department.

There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against:

• Routine screening for lead exposure in asymptomatic pregnant women, but recommendations against such screening may be made on other grounds.
• Counseling families about the primary prevention of lead exposure, but recommendations may be made on other grounds.

Recommendations regarding the primary prevention of lead poisoning by population-wide environmental interventions are beyond the scope of the Task Force.

Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2nd Edition
Screening for Elevated Lead Levels in Childhood and Pregnancy, 1996 (PDF File, 165 KB)

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