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

Environmental Health, Oct 2017

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. 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. 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. 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.

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

Woods et al. Environmental Health Gestational exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in relation to infant birth weight: a Bayesian analysis of the HOME Study Meghan M. Woods 0 Bruce P. Lanphear 0 2 Joseph M. Braun 1 Lawrence C. McCandless 0 3 0 Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University , Blusson Hall, Rm 11300, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6 , Canada 1 Department of Epidemiology, Brown University , Box G-S121-2, 121 South Main St, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 , USA 2 Child and Family Research Institute, BC Children's and Women's Hospital , 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4 , Canada 3 Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of British Columbia, Faculty of Science , 3182 Earth Science Building, 2207 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4 , Canada 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. Birth weight; Endocrine disruptors; Environmental exposure; Maternal exposure; Pregnancy Background Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) are synthetic compounds found in many consumer products [ 1–3 ] that alter the endocrine system [ 4, 5 ]. Because they are widely distributed in the environment, the majority of pregnant women in the United States have detectable levels of multiple EDCs in their blood or urine [ 6, 7 ]. Among EDCs, broad classes include phthalates and phenols (e.g., bisphenol A [BPA]), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Phthalates are used as plasticizers [ 1, 4, 5, 8 ] and also found in personal care and consumer products [ 1, 3, 7 ]. BPA is added to many plastics and consumer products [ 9, 10 ]. PFAS are used as stain and water repellants [ 11 ], fire fighting foams [ 11 ] and food contact material [ 3 ] while PCBs were used as hydraulic oil additives [ 2 ], coolant fluids [ 2, 5 ] and insulators [12]. PBDEs are flame retardants [ 13 ] and OCPs are agricultural pesticides [ 5, 14 ]. The vulnerability of the developing fetus [ 15 ] coupled with the pervasive nature of EDCs has raised concerns about reproductive health effects arising from gestational EDC exposure, such as low birth weight [ 15 ]. Low birth weight is a predictor for coronary heart disease [ 16 ], diabetes mellitus [ 17 ] and infant mortality [ 17 ]. Additionally, some previously published studies [ 14, 15 ] found associations between gestational EDC exposure and birth weight. Understanding the role EDCs may play in affecting birth weight will inform efforts to prevent low birth weight and the development of chronic diseases. Many investigators have explored the relationship between EDC exposures and birth weight [ 18 ]. Lenters et al. examined the relationships between 16 chemicals (6 phthalates, 8 PFAS, 2 PCBs and 1 OCP) and birth weight using Elastic Net Regression analyses; 2 phthalates, 1 PFAS, and 1 OCP were associated with lower birth weight [ 18 ]. Using a job exposure matrix, which can differ from exposure measurement, Birks et al. (2016) examined occupational EDC exposures in a meta-analysis of European birth cohorts and found that pregnant women exposed to more than 1 EDC class were more likely to have a low birth weight infant [ 15 ]. There is sufficient evidence that increased PFAS (especially PFOA) exposure is associated with low birth weight [ 18–20 ], but mixed results are reported for other EDCs an (...truncated)


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Meghan M. Woods, Bruce P. Lanphear, Joseph M. Braun, Lawrence C. McCandless. Gestational exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in relation to infant birth weight: a Bayesian analysis of the HOME Study, Environmental Health, 2017, pp. 115, DOI: 10.1186/s12940-017-0332-3