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Birth weight and prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE): A meta-analysis within 12 European birth cohorts
Govarts, Eva Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark Schoeters, Greet Ballester, Ferran Bloemen, Karolien de Boer, Michielde Chevrier, Cécile Eggesbø, Merete Guxens, Mònica Krämer, Ursula
Govarts, Eva
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark
Schoeters, Greet
Ballester, Ferran
Bloemen, Karolien
de Boer, Michielde
Chevrier, Cécile
Eggesbø, Merete
Guxens, Mònica
Krämer, Ursula
Author
Govarts, Eva
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark
Schoeters, Greet
Ballester, Ferran
Bloemen, Karolien
de Boer, Michielde
Chevrier, Cécile
Eggesbø, Merete
Guxens, Mònica
Krämer, Ursula
Legler, Juliette
Martínez, David
Palkovicova, Lubica
Patelarou, Evridiki
Ranft, Ulrich
Rautio, Arja
Petersen, Maria Skaalum
Slama, Rémy
Stigum, Hein
Toft, Gunnar Vase
Trnovec, Tomas
Vandentorren, Stéphanie
Weihe, Pál
Kuperus, Nynke Weisglas
Wilhelm, Michael
Wittsiepe, Jürgen
Bonde, Jens Peter
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark
Schoeters, Greet
Ballester, Ferran
Bloemen, Karolien
de Boer, Michielde
Chevrier, Cécile
Eggesbø, Merete
Guxens, Mònica
Krämer, Ursula
Legler, Juliette
Martínez, David
Palkovicova, Lubica
Patelarou, Evridiki
Ranft, Ulrich
Rautio, Arja
Petersen, Maria Skaalum
Slama, Rémy
Stigum, Hein
Toft, Gunnar Vase
Trnovec, Tomas
Vandentorren, Stéphanie
Weihe, Pál
Kuperus, Nynke Weisglas
Wilhelm, Michael
Wittsiepe, Jürgen
Bonde, Jens Peter
Abstract
Objectives: Exposure to high concentrations of persistent organochlorines may cause fetal toxicity, but the evidence at low exposure levels is limited. Large studies with substantial exposure contrasts and appropriate exposure assessment are warranted. Within the framework of the EU (European Union) ENRIECO (ENvironmental Health RIsks in European Birth Cohorts) and EU OBELIX (OBesogenic Endocrine disrupting chemicals: LInking prenatal eXposure to the development of obesity later in life) projects, we examined the hypothesis that the combination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) adversely affects birth weight. Methods: We used maternal and cord blood and breast milk samples of 7,990 women enrolled in 15 study populations from 12 European birth cohorts from 1990 through 2008. Using identical variable definitions, we performed for each cohort linear regression of birth weight on estimates of cord serum concentration of PCB-153 and p,p´-DDE adjusted for gestational age and a priori selected covariates. We obtained summary estimates by meta-analysis and performed analyses of interactions. Results: The median concentration of cord serum PCB-153 was 140 ng/L (range of cohort medians 20–484 ng/L) and that of p,p´-DDE was 528 ng/L (range of cohort medians 50–1,208 ng/L). Birth weight decreased with increasing cord serum concentration of PCB-153 after adjustment for potential confounders in 12 of 15 study populations. The meta-analysis including all cohorts indicated a birth weight decline of 150 g [95% confidence interval (CI): –250, –50 g] per 1-µg/L increase in PCB-153, an exposure contrast that is close to the range of exposures across the cohorts. A 1-µg/L increase in p,p´-DDE was associated with a 7-g decrease in birth weight (95% CI: –18, 4 g). Conclusions: The findings suggest that low-level exposure to PCB (or correlated exposures) impairs fetal growth, but that exposure to p,p´-DDE does not. The study adds to mounting evidence that low-level exposure to PCBs is inversely associated with fetal growth.
Keywords
Date
2012
Type
Journal article
Journal
Environmental Health Perspectives
Book
Volume
120
Issue
2
Page Range
162-170
Article Number
ACU Department
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Open access
License
File Access
Open