4.2. Exposure during pregnancy
It is rather important to mention that air pollutants can also affect the developing foetus (Schell et al., 2006). Maternal
exposure to heavy metals and especially to lead, increases the risks of spontaneous abortion and reduced fetal growth (preterm delivery, low birth weight). There are also evidences suggesting that parental lead exposure is also responsible for congenital malformations (Bellinger, 2005), and lesions of the developing nervous system, causing important impairment in newborn’s motor and cognitive abilities (Garza et al., 2006). Similarly, dioxins were found to be transferred from the mother
to the fetus via the placenta. They act as endocrine disruptors and affect growth and development of the central nervous