Journal Article

Gestational exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in relation to infant birth weight: a Bayesian analysis of the HOME Study

McCandless, Lawrence C., Lanphear, Bruce P., Braun, Joseph M., Woods, Meghan M.

2017

Overview

Background Pregnant women are exposed to a mixture of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Gestational EDC exposures may be associated with changes in fetal growth that elevates the risk for poor health later in life, but few studies have examined the health effects of simultaneous exposure to multiple chemicals. This study aimed to examine the association of gestational exposure to five chemical classes of potential EDCs: phthalates and bisphenol A, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) with infant birth weight. Methods Using data from the Health Outcomes and Measures of Environment (HOME) Study, we examined 272 pregnant women enrolled between 2003-2006. EDC concentrations were quantified in blood and urine samples collected at 16 and 26 weeks gestation. We used Bayesian Hierarchical Linear Models (BHLM) to examine the associations between newborn birth weight and 53 EDCs, 2 organochlorine pesticides (OPPs) and 2 heavy metals. Results For a 10-fold increase in chemical concentration, the mean differences in birth weights (95% credible intervals (CI)) were 1 g (-20, 23) for phthalates, -11 g (-52, 34) for PFAS, 0.2 g (-9, 10) for PCBs, -4 g (-30, 22) for PBDEs, and 7 g (-25, 40) for OCPs. Conclusion Gestational exposure to phthalates, PFAS, PCBs, PBDEs, OCPs or OPPs had null or small associations with birth weight. Gestational OPP, Pb, and PFAS exposures were most strongly associated with lower birth weight.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adipose tissue / Adult / Analysis / Bayes Theorem / Bayesian analysis / Benzhydryl Compounds - blood / Benzhydryl Compounds - urine / Birth Weight / Bisphenol A / Body weight / Cardiovascular disease / Cardiovascular diseases / Consumer products / Earth and Environmental Science / Endocrine disruptors / Endocrine Disruptors - blood / Endocrine Disruptors - urine / Endocrine system / Environment / Environmental Epidemiology / Environmental exposure / Environmental Health / Environmental Pollutants - blood / Environmental Pollutants - urine / Female / Fluorocarbons - blood / Fluorocarbons - urine / Generalized linear models / Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - blood / Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - urine / Health aspects / Health risk assessment / Humans / Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - blood / Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - urine / Infant mortality / Infant, Newborn / Infants / Lead - blood / Lead - urine / Lead content / Male / Maternal Exposure / Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Mercury - blood / Mercury - urine / Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine / Pesticides / Pesticides - blood / Pesticides - urine / Phenols - blood / Phenols - urine / Polybrominated diphenyl ethers / Pregnancy / Pregnant women / Public Health / Statistical analysis / Studies / Womens health