Maternal and Neonatal Levels of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Relation to Gestational Weight Gain

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Abstract

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous, persistent pollutants widely used in the production of common household and consumer goods. There is a limited body of literature suggesting that these chemicals may alter metabolic pathways and growth trajectories. The relationship between prenatal exposures to these chemicals and gestational weight gain (GWG) has received limited attention. One objective was to analyze the associations among maternal plasma levels of three common perfluoroalkyl substances (perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfanoate (PFHxS)) and GWG. Additionally, we explored whether GWG was associated with cord blood PFAS levels. This study utilized data collected in the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study, a trans-Canada cohort study of 2001 pregnant women. Our analysis quantified associations between (1) maternal PFAS concentrations and GWG and (2) GWG and cord blood PFAS concentrations. Maternal PFOS concentrations were positively associated with GWG ( β = 0.39 95% CI: 0.02, 0.75). Interquartile increases in GWG were significantly associated with elevated cord blood PFOA (OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.56) and PFOS (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.40) concentrations. No statistically significant associations were observed between GWG and either measure of PFHxS. These findings warrant elucidation of the potential underlying mechanisms.

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Sources, fate and transport of perfluorocarboxylates.

Konstantinos Prevedouros, Ian T Cousins, Robert Buck … (2006)

This review describes the sources, fate, and transport of perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) in the environment, with a specific focus on perfluorooctanoate (PFO). The global historical industry-wide emissions of total PFCAs from direct (manufacture, use, consumer products) and indirect (PFCA impurities and/or precursors) sources were estimated to be 3200-7300 tonnes. It was estimated that the majority (approximately 80%) of PFCAs have been released to the environment from fluoropolymer manufacture and use. Although indirect sources were estimated to be much less importantthan direct sources, there were larger uncertainties associated with the calculations for indirect sources. The physical-chemical properties of PFO (negligible vapor pressure, high solubility in water, and moderate sorption to solids) suggested that PFO would accumulate in surface waters. Estimated mass inventories of PFO in various environmental compartments confirmed that surface waters, especially oceans, contain the majority of PFO. The only environmental sinks for PFO were identified to be sediment burial and transport to the deep oceans, implying a long environmental residence time. Transport pathways for PFCAs in the environment were reviewed, and it was concluded that, in addition to atmospheric transport/degradation of precursors, atmospheric and ocean water transport of the PFCAs themselves could significantly contribute to their long-range transport. It was estimated that 2-12 tonnes/ year of PFO are transported to the Artic by oceanic transport, which is greater than the amount estimated to result from atmospheric transport/degradation of precursors.

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Environmental Chemicals in Pregnant Women in the United States: NHANES 2003–2004

Tracey J. Woodruff, Ami R. Zota, Jackie Schwartz (2011)

Background Exposure to chemicals during fetal development can increase the risk of adverse health effects, and while biomonitoring studies suggest pregnant women are exposed to chemicals, little is known about the extent of multiple chemicals exposures among pregnant women in the United States. Objective We analyzed biomonitoring data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) to characterize both individual and multiple chemical exposures in U.S. pregnant women. Methods We analyzed data for 163 chemical analytes in 12 chemical classes for subsamples of 268 pregnant women from NHANES 2003–2004, a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population. For each chemical analyte, we calculated descriptive statistics. We calculated the number of chemicals detected within the following chemical classes: polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), organochlorine pesticides, and phthalates and across multiple chemical classes. We compared chemical analyte concentrations for pregnant and nonpregnant women using least-squares geometric means, adjusting for demographic and physiological covariates. Results The percentage of pregnant women with detectable levels of an individual chemical ranged from 0 to 100%. Certain polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, PFCs, phenols, PBDEs, phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and perchlorate were detected in 99–100% of pregnant women. The median number of detected chemicals by chemical class ranged from 4 of 12 PFCs to 9 of 13 phthalates. Across chemical classes, median number ranged from 8 of 17 chemical analytes to 50 of 71 chemical analytes. We found, generally, that levels in pregnant women were similar to or lower than levels in nonpregnant women; adjustment for covariates tended to increase levels in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women. Conclusions Pregnant women in the U.S. are exposed to multiple chemicals. Further efforts are warranted to understand sources of exposure and implications for policy making.

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The Navigation Guide—Evidence-Based Medicine Meets Environmental Health: Systematic Review of Human Evidence for PFOA Effects on Fetal Growth

Paula Johnson, Patrice Sutton, Dylan S. Atchley … (2014)

Background: The Navigation Guide methodology was developed to meet the need for a robust method of systematic and transparent research synthesis in environmental health science. We conducted a case study systematic review to support proof of concept of the method. Objective: We applied the Navigation Guide systematic review methodology to determine whether developmental exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) affects fetal growth in humans. Methods: We applied the first 3 steps of the Navigation Guide methodology to human epidemiological data: 1) specify the study question, 2) select the evidence, and 3) rate the quality and strength of the evidence. We developed a protocol, conducted a comprehensive search of the literature, and identified relevant studies using prespecified criteria. We evaluated each study for risk of bias and conducted meta-analyses on a subset of studies. We rated quality and strength of the entire body of human evidence. Results: We identified 18 human studies that met our inclusion criteria, and 9 of these were combined through meta-analysis. Through meta-analysis, we estimated that a 1-ng/mL increase in serum or plasma PFOA was associated with a –18.9 g (95% CI: –29.8, –7.9) difference in birth weight. We concluded that the risk of bias across studies was low, and we assigned a “moderate” quality rating to the overall body of human evidence. Conclusion: On the basis of this first application of the Navigation Guide systematic review methodology, we concluded that there is “sufficient” human evidence that developmental exposure to PFOA reduces fetal growth. Citation: Johnson PI, Sutton P, Atchley DS, Koustas E, Lam J, Sen S, Robinson KA, Axelrad DA, Woodruff TJ. 2014. The Navigation Guide—evidence-based medicine meets environmental health: systematic review of human evidence for PFOA effects on fetal growth. Environ Health Perspect 122:1028–1039; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307893

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Anthony R. Mawsn: Role: Academic Editor

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Int J Environ Res Public Health

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Int J Environ Res Public Health

Journal ID (publisher-id): ijerph

Title: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Publisher: MDPI

ISSN (Print): 1661-7827

ISSN (Electronic): 1660-4601

Publication date (Electronic): 20 January 2016

Publication date (Print): January 2016

Volume: 13

Issue: 1

Electronic Location Identifier: 146

Affiliations

[1 ]Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada; jillian.ashley-martin@ 123456dal.ca

[2 ]Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada

[3 ]Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; Tye.Arbuckle@ 123456hc-sc.gc.ca (T.E.A.); mandy.fisher@ 123456hc-sc.gc.ca (M.F.)

[4 ]Sainte Justine Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, PQ H3T 1C5, Canada; anne-sophie.morisset@ 123456fsaa.ulaval.ca

[5 ]Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, PQ H3T 1A8, Canada; maryse.bouchard@ 123456umontreal.ca

[6 ]Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, PQ H3A 1A2, Canada; gabriel.shapiro@ 123456mcgill.ca

[7 ]Departmentof Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; adrienne.ettinger@ 123456gmail.com

[8 ]Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, PQ H3A 1A1, Canada; monnier.patricia@ 123456gmail.com

[9 ]Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, PQ G1V 0A6, Canada; renee.dallaire@ 123456crchudequebec.ulaval.ca

[10 ]Departments of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4, Canada; tabacksp@ 123456cc.umanitoba.ca

[11 ]Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, PQ J1H 5N4, Canada; William.Fraser@ 123456usherbrooke.ca

Author notes

[* ]Correspondence: l.dodds@ 123456dal.ca ; Tel.: +1-902-470-7191

Article

Publisher ID: ijerph-13-00146

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13010146

PMC ID: 4730537

PubMed ID: 26805861

SO-VID: b6a84cd1-79f5-4912-9b84-287f34b41990

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This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons by Attribution (CC-BY) license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Maternal and Neonatal Levels of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Relation to Gestational Weight Gain

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Global Health Next Generation Network

Most cited references 33

Sources, fate and transport of perfluorocarboxylates.

Environmental Chemicals in Pregnant Women in the United States: NHANES 2003–2004

The Navigation Guide—Evidence-Based Medicine Meets Environmental Health: Systematic Review of Human Evidence for PFOA Effects on Fetal Growth

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