What does this research mean for the field?

Prenatal lead exposure may be associated with modestly lower intelligence quotient scores in children aged 5 years and older, although current evidence is sparse and statistically inconclusive. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the impact of prenatal lead exposure, assessed via biological markers, on intelligence quotient scores in children aged 5 years and older.

August 30, 2026Ecotoxicology and Environmental SafetyOpen Access

Prenatal lead and intelligence quotient measured in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

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Authors

VFVictor Flórez‐GarcíaIllinois Department of Public Health EGEdwin Guevara-RomeroUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee JRJ.E. RodUniversidad del Norte

Discussion

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Implication

Systematic review and meta-analysis finds prenatal lead exposure is modestly associated with lower intelligence quotient scores in children, highlighting the need for expanded environmental research.

Key Points

To evaluate the impact of prenatal lead exposure, assessed via biological markers, on intelligence quotient scores in children aged 5 years and older.
Systematic literature search conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, and Lilacs for studies assessing prenatal lead biomarkers and global IQ at age ≥5 years.
Estimates were converted to standardized linear point estimates and synthesized using random-effects and fixed-effects models, with study quality evaluated using ROBINS-E and heterogeneity tested via I² and Cochran's Q.
Meta-analysis of 7 studies evaluating maternal blood lead levels identified a modest negative association with standardized child IQ scores (β: −0.06; 95% CI: −0.17 to 0.05; I² = 24.1%).
Because the confidence interval crossed the null and published literature is limited, evidence remains insufficient to confirm sex-specific differences or rule out confounding factors.

Cite This Study

Flórez‐García et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a93f02f6c1a8fb52e79c2bf https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120710

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Implication

Systematic review and meta-analysis finds prenatal lead exposure is modestly associated with lower intelligence quotient scores in children, highlighting the need for expanded environmental research.

Prenatal lead and intelligence quotient measured in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Prenatal lead and intelligence quotient measured in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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