This page houses information related to management of lead in water incident.

The incident of elevated lead levels in water has given HK citizens huge stress. The public sector continually releases information about blood test results.  We have objective information from overseas and local experience that lead exposure from water is but one of many factors to blood lead levels. Blood levels below 5 mcg/dl are usually considered normal.   As far as we obstetricians are concerned, pregnant women having increased levels may be monitored according to logistics described by CDC (2010) and American College of O&G (2012, reaffirmed 2014), information of which has been relayed to you in this message.  Many files sent in this message to you were given first to College kindly by HA.  A file also contains information about the present HK plan of management.

The situation is colored heavily with politics.  We doctors have our primary duty in health of clients, and each pregnant lady is a 2-clients-in-1 entity. Anxiety levels are high with our clients, and it is very important to give them objective information.

It is important to empower clients nowadays.  When we are asked what they may do, some considerations may be helpful to them.

  1. Remove exposure to lead source, which is likely to be done already in the index estates.
  2. Eat healthy.
  3. Adequacy (not oversupply) with dietary calcium and iron may help.
  4. There is limited chance of having very high blood lead levels even with elevated water lead levels.  Usually the most appropriate management with increased blood lead is serial monitoring.
  5. Private doctors may need to spend additional efforts to arrange support for blood test when clients demand the examination, because public priority is rightly given to citizens under objectively high exposure for the time being.

Related references

Care Plan(draft4 as at 17072015)

EHP_Recommendations for Medical Management of Adult Lead Exposure

HK data 2012

HKPaediatrics.

lead.level.new.immigrants.

CBChow

Lead in Drinking Water 20150717

Lead in Pregnancy and Lactation lead screening preg acog 2012

lead_in_pregnancy_breastfeeding managingEBLLs NY_lead_pregnancy

Recommendations on Medical Management of Childhood Lead Exposure and Poisoning (AAP, 2012)