Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
Background Chlordecone is a persistent organochlorine insecticide with well-defined estrogenic properties. It was intensively used in the French West Indies until 1993 to control the banana root borer. Because of the long-term contamination of soils and water, the population is currently exposed to chlordecone through food consumption. Chlordecone has been found in the blood of pregnant women and in cord blood. It has been shown to be an endocrine-disrupting chemical and exposure during pregnancy may affect fetal growth. Objectives The objective of our study was to examine the association between prenatal exposure to chlordecone and fetal growth based on the TIMOUN birth cohort conducted in Guadeloupe, with a focus on the potential modification of this relationship by maternal body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG). Methods Chlordecone was determined in cord plasma at birth in 593 babies. Birth weight was the indicator of fetal growth. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG were determined. Adherence to GWG recommendations of the US Institute of Medicine based on maternal pre-pregnancy BMI was assessed. Birth weight was analyzed relative to cord blood chlordecone levels using linear and non-linear regression models. Results Overall chlordecone in cord blood was not associated with birth weight, but we found an interaction between chlordecone exposure with GWG and adherence to GWG recommendations. After stratification by GWG, we found a significant U-shaped association between birth weight and chlordecone exposure, within the upper quartiles of GWG or excessive GWG. Conclusion Chlordecone exposure may affect fetal growth, particularly when excessive GWG is present. © 2016 Elsevier Inc.
Environmental Research

hal-01367154
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01367154
DOI : 10.1016/j.envres.2016.08.004
PUBMED : 27560981

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
Fish is a rich source of essential nutrients for fetal development, but in contrast, it is also a well-known route of exposure to environmental pollutants. We assessed whether fish intake during pregnancy is associated with fetal growth and the length of gestation in a panel of European birth cohort studies. The study sample of 151,880 mother-child pairs was derived from 19 population-based European birth cohort studies. Individual data from cohorts were pooled and harmonized. Adjusted cohort-specific effect estimates were combined by using a random- and fixed-effects meta-analysis. Women who ate fish >1 time/wk during pregnancy had lower risk of preterm birth than did women who rarely ate fish (≤ 1 time/wk); the adjusted RR of fish intake >1 but <3 times/wk was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82, 0.92), and for intake ≥ 3 times/wk, the adjusted RR was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.96). Women with a higher intake of fish during pregnancy gave birth to neonates with a higher birth weight by 8.9 g (95% CI: 3.3, 14.6 g) for >1 but <3 times/wk and 15.2 g (95% CI: 8.9, 21.5 g) for ≥ 3 times/wk independent of gestational age. The association was greater in smokers and in overweight or obese women. Findings were consistent across cohorts. This large, international study indicates that moderate fish intake during pregnancy is associated with lower risk of preterm birth and a small but significant increase in birth weight.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

hal-01118513
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01118513
PUBMED : 24335057
DOI : 10.3945/ajcn.113.067421

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : Pregnancy is a sensitive and critical period for the development of the child and the health of adults-to-be. The biological and physiological adaptation of the body dealing physical and psychosocial stressors during this period may exert its effects in adulthood (and possibly over several generations). This delayed toxicity presupposes intrinsically the need to study the effects of exposure to environmental risk factors during fetal life using a holistic approach involving risk factors at both the micro (individual characteristics) and the macro level (physical and psycho-social context). Given the heterogeneity of the Breton territory in which this work was conducted, we explored whether the impact of social inequalities and the physical environment (air pollution) on birth outcomes (fetal growth and the risk of prematurity) could be modified according to an urban or rural place of residence. This work was based on data collected as part of the Breton mother-child cohort PELAGIE, which had included 3421 pregnant women between 2002- 2006. The anthropometric parameters and gestational age at birth were measured by medical personnel at delivery. We defined urban and rural areas according to the definition of “urban units” from the National Census Bureau (INSEE). The annual concentrations of air pollution (nitrogen dioxide (NO2)) were estimated using a land-use regression modeled at a 100 m scale and developed as part of an European project. Finally, neighbourhood deprivation was estimated using a composite index developed at census blocks level and whose use was legitimated over both urban and rural areas. Neighbourhood deprivation was associated with an increased risk of infants with fetal growth restriction, only for women living in rural areas. We also observed an increased risk of preterm birth associated with NO2 concentrations > 16.4 μg.m-3, only among women residing in urban areas. The associations between air pollution and fetal growth, although sex-specific, did not seem on the other hand, to vary significantly according to the urban-rural spectrum. This work confirms the need to explore the influence of both social and environmental inequalities on intrauterine development, and to assess the role of place-based factors, such as the urban-rural context, in shaping these inequalities.
La grossesse est une période sensible et déterminante pour le développement de l’enfant et l’état de santé à l’âge adulte. L'adaptation biologique et physiologique de l'organisme face à des « stresseurs » physiques et psychosociaux au cours de cette période peut ainsi exercer ses effets à l'âge adulte (et possiblement sur plusieurs générations). Cette toxicité différée suppose intrinsèquement la nécessité d’étudier les conséquences des expositions environnementales au cours de la vie foetale et ce suivant une approche holistique intégrant autant les facteurs de risque à des niveaux micro (caractéristiques individuelles) et macro (expositions physiques externes et contexte psycho-social). Etant donné l’hétérogénéité du territoire breton dans lequel s’inscrit ce travail de thèse, nous avons cherché à explorer l’impact des inégalités sociales et de l’environnement physique (pollution atmosphérique) sur l’issue de la grossesse (croissance foetale et risque de prématurité) indépendamment chez des femmes enceintes résidant dans des zones urbaines et rurales. Ce travail s’est appuyé sur les données issues de la cohorte bretonne mère-enfant PELAGIE, qui a inclus 3421 femmes enceintes entre 2002- 2006. Les paramètres anthropométriques et l’âge gestationnel à la naissance ont été renseignés à l’accouchement par le personnel médical. Le contexte urbain et rural breton a été caractérisé à partir de la définition des unités urbaines de l’INSEE. Les concentrations annuelles de pollution atmosphérique (dioxyde d’azote (NO2)) ont été modélisées à une échelle de 100 m à partir d’un modèle de "land-use regression" développé à l’échelle européenne. Enfin, le niveau socio-économique des IRIS a été estimé à l’aide d’un indice de désavantage social - construit à partir des données du recensement de l’INSEE et dont la validité et l’adaptabilité à des territoires à la fois urbains et ruraux a été examinée au préalable. Nos résultats suggèrent une influence délétère d’un contexte de vie socioéconomique défavorable sur la croissance intra-utérine, spécifiquement chez les femmes résidant en milieu rural. Nous avons également observé une augmentation du risque de prématurité associée à des niveaux > 16.4 μg.m-3 de NO2 dans l’air, à l’inverse, uniquement chez les femmes résidant dans des zones urbaines. Les associations entre l’exposition à la pollution atmosphérique et les marqueurs de la croissance intra-utérine, bien que sexe-spécifiques, ne semblent en revanche pas varier sensiblement suivant le gradient urbain-rural. Ce travail confirme la nécessité d’évaluer l’influence des inégalités sociales et environnementales sur le développement intra-utérin et de considérer l’importance et le rôle du contexte de vie, notamment urbain-rural, dans la formation de ces inégalités.
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01308518

NNT : 2015REN1B010
tel-01308518
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01308518
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01308518/document
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01308518/file/BERTIN_M--lanie.pdf

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that a Mediterranean dietary pattern during pregnancy may influence pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) during pregnancy on fetal growth restriction (FGR) and preterm delivery (PTD) in a French Caribbean island where the population is largely of African descent and presents dietary patterns similar to MD. METHODS: Using data from the TIMOUN Mother-Child Cohort Study conducted in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) between 2004 and 2007, we analysed data for 728 pregnant women who delivered liveborn singletons without any major congenital malformations. Degree of adherence to MD during pregnancy was evaluated with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire based on nine dietary criteria. Multiple logistic regression models were used to analyse birth outcomes while taking potential confounders into account. RESULTS: Overall there was no association between MD adherence during pregnancy and the risk of PTD or FGR. However, pre-pregnancy body mass index was a strong effect modifier, and MD adherence was associated with a decreased risk of PTD specifically in overweight and obese women (adjusted odds ratio 0.7, 95% confidence interval 0.6, 0.9) (P heterogeneity <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that Caribbean diet during pregnancy may carry some benefits of MD and may contribute to reduce the risk of PTD in overweight and obese pregnant women.
ISSN: 0269-5022

hal-00988172
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00988172
DOI : 10.1111/ppe.12113
PUBMED : 24754337

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : National audience
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) has been used ever since the Antiquity for its painkilling and anti-inflammatory effects. Its antiplatelet properties have then extended its indications to the field of coronaropathy and vascular cerebral disease, and finally to vascular placental disease. Aspirin has been widely prescribed since the 1980's to prevent pre-eclampsia, intra-uterine growth retardation and fetal death of vascular origin. It has also been proposed to prevent unexplained recurrent miscarriages. Its use during pregnancy is considered as safe, provided the daily doses do not exceed 100mg. Aspirin has been proven efficient to prevent pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction in high-risk patients. The benefits of prescribing aspirin have been demonstrated neither for vascular placental disease prevention in low risk patients, nor in cases of unexplained recurrent miscarriages.
La Revue De Medecine Interne

hal-01659441
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01659441
DOI : 10.1016/j.revmed.2017.10.419
PUBMED : 29129461

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have linked prenatal traffic-related air pollution exposure to fetal growth. Recently, several studies have suggested exploring this association independently among boys and girls because of potential sex-specific biological vulnerability to air pollution. Residence-based factors can also influence fetal growth by enhancing susceptibility to the toxic effects of air pollution and must also be considered in these relations. OBJECTIVE: We examined sex-specific associations between prenatal air pollution exposure and fetal growth and explored whether they differed by the urban-rural status of maternal residence. METHODS: This study relied on the PELAGIE mother-child cohort (2521 women, Brittany, France, 2002-2006). Fetal growth was assessed through birth weight, head circumference and small weight (SGA) and small head circumference (SHC) for gestational age. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations at mothers' homes were estimated by using a land use regression model taking into account temporal variation during pregnancy. Associations between estimated NO2 concentrations and fetal growth were assessed with linear regression or logistic regression models, depending on the outcome investigated. RESULTS: An interquartile range (8.8µgm(-3)) increase in NO2 exposure estimates was associated with a 27.4g (95% CI 0.8 to 55.6) increase in birth weight and a 0.09cm (95% CI 0.00-0.17) significant increase in head circumference, among newborn boys only. Their risks of SGA and SHC were reduced (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.53-0.92, OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.56-1.03, respectively, for an increase of 8.8µgm(-3)). No statistically significant trends were observed among girls. Urban-rural status modified the effect of air pollution only for SHC and again only for newborn boys. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study confirm the need to consider sex-specific associations between air pollution and fetal growth and to investigate possible mechanisms by which traffic-related air pollution may increase anthropometric parameters at birth
Environmental Research

hal-01205354
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01205354
DOI : 10.1016/j.envres.2015.09.006
PUBMED : 26378737

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Women of reproductive age can be exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) at work, and exposure to EDCs in pregnancy may affect fetal growth. OBJECTIVES: We assessed whether maternal occupational exposure to EDCs during pregnancy as classified by application of a job exposure matrix was associated with birth weight, term low birth weight (LBW), length of gestation, and preterm delivery. METHODS: Using individual participant data from 133,957 mother-child pairs in 13 European cohorts spanning births from 1994 through 2011, we linked maternal job titles with exposure to 10 EDC groups as assessed through a job exposure matrix. For each group, we combined the two levels of exposure categories (possible and probable) and compared birth outcomes with the unexposed group (exposure unlikely). We performed meta-analyses of cohort-specific estimates. RESULTS: Eleven percent of pregnant women were classified as exposed to EDCs at work during pregnancy, based on job title. Classification of exposure to one or more EDC group was associated with an increased risk of term LBW [odds ratio (OR) = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.49], as were most specific EDC groups; this association was consistent across cohorts. Further, the risk increased with increasing number of EDC groups (OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.10, 4.06 for exposure to four or more EDC groups). There were few associations (p < 0.05) with the other outcomes; women holding job titles classified as exposed to bisphenol A or brominated flame retardants were at higher risk for longer length of gestation. CONCLUSION: Results from our large population-based birth cohort design indicate that employment during pregnancy in occupations classified as possibly or probably exposed to EDCs was associated with an increased risk of term LBW.
ISSN: 0091-6765

hal-01405823
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01405823
DOI : 10.1289/EHP208
PUBMED : 27152464

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
It has been suggested that prenatal exposure to insecticides adversely affects fetal growth, but the overall results have been inconsistent, partly because of the different exposure sources and exposure assessments used. In the French PELAGIE (Perturbateurs Endocriniens: Étude Longitudinale sur les Anomalies de la Grossesse, l'Infertilité et l'Enfance) mother and child cohort (2002-2006), the authors investigated the association between fetal growth and insecticide exposure (n = 1,213) using an integrated Bayesian latent variable model to include multiple exposure sources: agricultural activities, nonorganic diet, household insecticide use on plants, and household insecticide use against insects. They used a questionnaire to collect information on household use and organic diet, and a national agricultural census provided data on agricultural activities in the women's municipalities of residence. A 0.10-cm decrease in head circumference at birth (95% credibility interval: -0.22, 0.01) was associated with fetal insecticide exposure from agricultural activities in the municipality of residence. Decreases in average birth weight (-27 g; 95% credibility interval: -59, 6) and head circumference (-0.12 cm; 95% credibility interval: -0.26, 0.01) were associated with household insecticide use to treat plants. The present results suggest an inverse association between fetal growth and prenatal insecticide exposure from nearby agricultural activity or household use. Bayesian modeling via latent variables is a natural framework for including multiple sources of exposure to environmental pollutants.
ISSN: 0002-9262

hal-00875979
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00875979
DOI : 10.1093/aje/kwr422
PUBMED : 22534205

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : Publié en septembre 2013 dans le "Journal de Gynécologie Obstétrique et Biologie de la Reproduction" vol.42 n°5 p.413-444
We review the epidemiological literature on the possible impact of chemical and physical factors on pregnancy outcome. Effects of in-utero exposures on child health are not considered here. The highest levels of evidence concern the effects of passive smoking (on fetal growth), of lead (pregnancy-induced hypertension, fetal growth), of some Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB; on fetal growth) and, to a lesser extent, of atmospheric pollutants (on fetal growth and preterm delivery). For the other compounds, in particular non-persistent chemicals, the literature, which is generally based on poor exposure assessment, is less informative. In conclusion, the last decades have witnessed the development of mother-child cohorts in which exposure biomarkers have been assayed, allowing a large number of publications. For some persistent compounds, for which efficient exposure assessment approaches have been used, the literature indicates a likely impact on pregnancy outcomes. With the exception of air pollutants, the literature on non-persistent compounds is little conclusive; the assay of exposure biomarkers in repeated biological samples collected at relevant time points could help further increase knowledge regarding any health impact.
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00916684

hal-00916684
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00916684
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00916684/document
DOI : 10.1016/j.jgyn.2013.02.012

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Although adverse birth outcomes have been associated with neighbourhood deprivation in urban areas, few studies have addressed this issue in rural zones. This study examines whether associations between neighbourhood deprivation and adverse birth outcomes differ in urban and rural contexts, while taking individual characteristics and spatial accessibility of prenatal care (SAPC) into account. METHODS: Pregnant women from a French mother-child cohort were recruited from 2002 to 2006 in Brittany. Their residential addresses were geocoded into their census blocks (the finest geographical resolution available). Deprivation was assessed at the same neighbourhood level. Models to assess the associations of deprivation, stratified by urban/rural status, with preterm delivery (PTD), with small for gestational age birth weight (SGA) and with small for gestational age head circumference at birth (SHC), estimated odds ratios (ORs), adjusted for maternal socioeconomic characteristics and SAPC. RESULTS: This study considered 2929 liveborn singleton pregnancies from 780 census blocks. Neighbourhood deprivation was associated with increased risks of SGA and SHC (P trend  extless 0.01 and 0.03 respectively), only among mothers residing in rural areas. Neighbourhood deprivation had statistically significantly heterogeneous effects on SGA and SHC according to the urban/rural status of maternal residence. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that neighbourhood deprivation affects fetal growth differentially in urban and rural areas and that SAPC does not seem to be responsible for this difference. Comparison of these findings with the literature requires caution in the conceptualisation of urban and rural settings
ISSN: 0269-5022

hal-01187424
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01187424
DOI : 10.1111/ppe.12208
PUBMED : 26186278

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD BioMed Central
Résumé : International audience
This study aims to assess the evidence on adverse pregnancy outcome associated with living close to polluted industrial sites, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of published epidemiological studies. A systematic literature search has been performed on all epidemiological studies published in developed countries since 1990, on the association between residential proximity to industrial sites (hazardous waste sites, industrial facilities and landfill sites) and adverse pregnancy outcome (low birth weight, preterm birth, small for gestational age, intrauterine growth retardation, infant mortality, congenital malformation). Based on 41 papers, our review reveals an excess risk of reproductive morbidity. However, no studies show significant excess risk of mortality including fetal death, neonatal or infant mortality and stillbirth. All published studies tend to show an increased risk of congenital abnormalities, yet not all are statistically significant. All but two of these studies revealed an excess risk of low birth weight. Results for preterm birth, small for gestational age and intrauterine growth retardation show the same pattern. There is suggestive evidence from the post-1990 literature that residential proximity to polluted sites (including landfills, hazardous waste sites and industrial facilities) might contribute to adverse reproductive outcomes, especially congenital malformations and low birth weight—though not mortality. This body of evidence has limitations that impede the formulation of firm conclusions, and new, well-focused studies are called for. The review findings suggest that continued strengthening of rules governing industrial emissions as well as industrial waste management and improved land use planning are needed.
ISSN: 1476-072X

Droits : http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
hal-01547817
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01547817
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01547817/document
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01547817/file/s12942-017-0091-y.pdf
DOI : 10.1186/s12942-017-0091-y

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
Introduction Adverse effect of environmental exposures on the pregnancy is now clearly stated in the literature. Chemical, biological, or physical agents are susceptible to influence the onset of the pregnancy, as well as the fetal development. This paper aims to summarize basic knowledge on the topic. Methods A literature review was conducted based on a targeted search on the Medline database. Results Literature data suggested increased risk of congenital malformation, fetal growth, or impaired neurodevelopment. Adverse environmental effects can be observed during the pregnancy, at birth, during the childhood, during the adulthood, and possibly on the next generation. Discussion Prevention tools can be used to limit several domestic, occupational or lifestyle exposures. While emphasizing the importance of the prevention, it is necessary to remind to pregnant women that frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes remain uncommon, considering the systematic exposures to a large panel of reprotoxicants. © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS
ISSN: 16374088

hal-01647157
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01647157
DOI : 10.1016/j.sagf.2017.06.004

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
The Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted proteins act as morphogens to control embryonic patterning and development in a variety of organ systems. Post-translational covalent attachment of cholesterol and palmitate to Hh proteins are critical for multimerization and long range signaling potency. However, the biological impact of lipid modifications on Hh ligand distribution and signal reception in humans remains unclear. In the present study, we report a unique case of autosomal recessive syndromic 46,XY Disorder of Sex Development (DSD) with testicular dysgenesis and chondrodysplasia resulting from a homozygous G287V missense mutation in the hedgehog acyl-transferase (HHAT) gene. This mutation occurred in the conserved membrane bound O-acyltransferase (MBOAT) domain and experimentally disrupted the ability of HHAT to palmitoylate Hh proteins such as DHH and SHH. Consistent with the patient phenotype, HHAT was found to be expressed in the somatic cells of both XX and XY gonads at the time of sex determination, and Hhat loss of function in mice recapitulates most of the testicular, skeletal, neuronal and growth defects observed in humans. In the developing testis, HHAT is not required for Sertoli cell commitment but plays a role in proper testis cord formation and the differentiation of fetal Leydig cells. Altogether, these results shed new light on the mechanisms of action of Hh proteins. Furthermore, they provide the first clinical evidence of the essential role played by lipid modification of Hh proteins in human testicular organogenesis and embryonic development.
ISSN: 1553-7390

hal-01063929
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01063929
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004340
PUBMED : 24784881

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
Although prenatal exposure to water disinfection by-products does not appear to affect the duration of gestation, its impact on fetal growth remains an open question. The authors studied the associations between prenatal exposure to disinfection by-products and fetal growth restriction (FGR) and preterm birth in the PELAGIE cohort, a French birth cohort comprising 3,421 pregnant women recruited between 2002 and 2006. Exposure was assessed by estimating levels of trihalomethanes (THMs) in tap water during pregnancy and maternal water use and by measuring maternal urinary levels of trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) during early pregnancy in a nested case-control design that compared 174 FGR cases, 114 preterm births, and 399 controls. Higher uptake of THMs (especially brominated THMs) was associated with a higher risk of FGR. Women with TCAA detected in their urine (>0.01 mg/L) had a higher risk of FGR than those with TCAA levels below the detection limit (adjusted odds ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval: 0.9, 3.7) and had an odds ratio for preterm birth below 1 (adjusted odds ratio = 0.8, 95% confidence interval: 0.3, 2.6). Results from this prospective study, the first to use a biomarker of disinfection by-product exposure, suggest that prenatal exposure affects fetal growth, but the causal agent or agents remain to be identified.
ISSN: 0002-9262

hal-00682627
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00682627
DOI : 10.1093/aje/kwr419
PUBMED : 22156019

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Low-level exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl-153 (PCB-153) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p-p'-DDE) can impair fetal growth; however, the exposure-response relationship and effect modifiers of such association are not well established. This study is an extension of an earlier European meta-analysis. Our aim was to explore exposure-response relationship between PCB-153 and p-p'-DDE and birth outcomes; to evaluate whether any no exposure-effect level and susceptible subgroups exist; and to assess the role of maternal gestational weight gain (GWG). We used a pooled dataset of 9377 mother-child pairs enrolled in 14 study populations from 11 European birth cohorts. General additive models were used to evaluate the shape of the relationships between organochlorine compounds and birth outcomes. We observed an inverse linear exposure-response relationship between prenatal exposure to PCB-153 and birth weight [decline of 194g (95% CI -314, -74) per 1μg/L increase in PCB-153]. We showed effects on birth weight over the entire exposure range, including at low levels. This reduction seems to be stronger among children of mothers who were non-Caucasian or had smoked during pregnancy. The most susceptible subgroup was girls whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. After adjusting for absolute GWG or estimated fat mass, a reduction in birth weight was still observed. This study suggests that the association between low-level exposure to PCB-153 and birth weight exists and follows an inverse linear exposure-response relationship with effects even at low levels, and that maternal smoking and ethnicity modify this association.
ISSN: 0160-4120

hal-01118572
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01118572
PUBMED : 25314142
DOI : 10.1016/j.envint.2014.09.013