[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 77789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31927]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60-Day-03-22]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on (404) 498-1210.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Send comments to Seleda M. Perryman , 
CDC Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.
    Proposed Project: Assessment of Methemoglobin Levels in Pregnancy--
New--National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background

    Methemoglobinemia as a consequence of ingestion of nitrate-
contaminated water has been well established. Methemoglobinemia is an 
acute and potentially fatal illness, the severity of which depends on 
the amount of methemoglobin (metHb) formed. Subclinical increases in 
metHb levels can occur in people exposed to low levels of nitrate in 
drinking water; however, metHb levels in such people have not been well 
characterized. Furthermore, very little is known about metHb levels in 
pregnant women, including whether drinking low levels of nitrate (below 
the maximum allowable contaminant level of 10 mg/L) affects blood metHb 
levels in pregnant women or their fetuses. We propose to study 330 
pregnant women who consume water from public and private wells. We plan 
to follow them from their first prenatal visit until 2 weeks after 
delivery, when we will also measure metHb levels in their newborn 
infants. The study objectives are to (1) measure metHb levels 
throughout pregnancy and evaluate how metHb levels change during and 
just after pregnancy; (2) measure metHb levels within a population of 
women and their newborn infants who are served by either public or 
private water supplies and are exposed to a range of nitrate levels 
primarily below the maximum contaminant level for public water 
supplies; (3) provide additional medical care, education, and advice to 
women whose metHb levels are elevated (above 5% of the total 
hemoglobin); and (4) to provide education and advice to women whose 
water supplies have elevated nitrate levels with regard to the 
potential hazards of infant methemoglobinemia. There is no cost to 
respondents.

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                                                                     Number of    Average burden/
                   Respondents                       Number of      responses/     response (in    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent        hours)        (in hours)
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Recruiting......................................             428               1           15/60             107
Personal Interview..............................             330               1               1             330
Biological Specimen Collection:
    Mother......................................             330               6           45/60            1485
    Infant......................................             330               1            2/60              11
                                                 -----------------
      Total.....................................  ..............  ..............  ..............            1933
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    Dated: December 12, 2002.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 02-31927 Filed 12-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P