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Water consumption and use, trihalomethane exposure, and the risk of hypospadias
Iszatt, Nina Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J. Nelson, Paul Elliott, Paul Toledano, Mireille B.
Iszatt, Nina
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
Nelson, Paul
Elliott, Paul
Toledano, Mireille B.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Hypospadias is a congenital anomaly that affects up to 70 in 10 000 males. Ingestion of drinking-water–disinfection byproducts such as trihalomethanes (THMs) has been associated with hypospadias in a small sample. We examined risk of hypospadias and exposure to THMs through water consumption and use.
METHODS: Between September 2000 and March 2003, we interviewed mothers of 471 boys with hypospadias and 490 controls in southeast England about maternal water consumption, dishwashing, showering, bathing and swimming. We obtained residential THM concentrations from the water companies and linked them by using Geographical Information Systems, which provided data on 468 case-subjects and 485 controls.
RESULTS: THM exposures, except for ingestion of ≥6 μg/day of bromodichloromethane (odds ratio [OR]: 1.65 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–2.69]), were not associated with risk of hypospadias. Elevated risk of hypospadias was associated with estimates of consumption of cold tap water at home (OR: 1.71 [95% CI: 1.07–2.76]), total water (OR: 1.70 [95% CI: 1.09–2.67]), bottled water (OR: 1.64 [95% CI: 1.09–2.48]), and total fluid (OR: 1.55 [95% CI: 1.01–2.39]) for the highest versus the lowest categories; the first 2 showed dose-response trends.
CONCLUSIONS: Evidence for an association between maternal water consumption and risk of hypospadias did not seem to be explained by THM exposure. Factors that influence maternal water consumption or other contaminants in tap or bottled water might explain this finding. It is important that women maintain an adequate fluid intake during pregnancy.
Keywords
hypospadias, drinking water, disinfection byproducts, trihalomethanes, water consumption
Date
2011
Type
Journal article
Journal
Pediatrics
Book
Volume
127
Issue
2
Page Range
e389-e397
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
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled