Poisoned pregnancies: consequences of prenatal lead exposure in relation to infant mortality in the Roman Empire.

Moore, Joanna; Williams-Ward, Michelle; Filipek, Kori; Gowland, Rebecca; Montgomery, Janet

Abstract

Large families were often a desired outcome of Roman marriages; laws were even passed to encourage procreation. Despite this, large families were not the norm. The high infant mortality, miscarriage and stillbirth rates throughout this period probably contributed to the propensity for small families. While disease, infanticide, and exposure are often invoked for these high infant mortality rates, little attention has been paid to the effects of environmental pollution. It is no secret that the Romans utilised lead like no civilisation before them, suffering its insidious effects. While the concept of Roman populations succumbing to lead poisoning is nothing new, little consideration has been given to the impact of this environmental toxin on infants. As trans-placental transportation of lead occurs uninhibited, maternal lead burden is shared with the unborn child, increasing the risks of prenatal lead poisoning, and often resulting in low birth weight, stillbirth, preterm delivery or spontaneous abortion. It could, therefore, be argued that lead contributed to the high infant mortality rates within Roman populations. This chapter examines the effects of lead poisoning on pregnant women and their unborn children, and how this may link to the high infant mortality rates observed throughout the Roman Empire.

Citation

Moore, J., Williams-Ward, M., Filipek, K., Gowland, R., & Montgomery, J. (2021). Poisoned pregnancies: consequences of prenatal lead exposure in relation to infant mortality in the Roman Empire. In E. J. Kendall, & R. Kendall (Eds.), The Family in Past Perspective: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Familial Relationships Through Time (137-158). Routledge

• Online Publication Date: May 30, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021
• Deposit Date: Apr 30, 2021
• Publisher: Routledge
• Pages: 137-158
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Book Title: The Family in Past Perspective: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Familial Relationships Through Time.
• Chapter Number: 8
• Publisher URL: https://www.routledge.com/The-Family-in-Past-Perspective-An-Interdisciplinary-Exploration-of-Familial/Kendall-Kendall/p/book/9781032015101