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Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure in mothers and time to pregnancy in daughters

Barbara A Cohn1, Piera M Cirillo, Robert I Sholtz

  • 1The Center for Research on Women and Children's Health, The Child Health and Development Studies, Public Health Institute, Berkeley, CA 94709, United States. bcohn@chdstudies.org

Reproductive Toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.)
|February 8, 2011
PubMed

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Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may impact human fertility. Higher PCB levels in mothers

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Reproductive Toxicology
  • Human Toxicology

Background:

  • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are known endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
  • Developmental exposure to PCBs has been linked to reproductive issues in animal models.
  • Limited human data exists on the long-term reproductive effects of developmental PCB exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and human reproductive health.
  • To determine if specific PCB congeners measured in maternal serum are associated with time to pregnancy (TTP) in daughters.
  • To assess the impact of developmental PCB exposure on pregnancy probability and infertility in adult women.

Main Methods:

  • Maternal serum samples collected during 1960-1963 were analyzed for PCB congeners.
  • Time to pregnancy (TTP) was recorded for 289 daughters between 28-31 years after birth.
  • Statistical analyses were performed to correlate PCB levels and congeners with TTP and infertility.

Main Results:

  • Specific PCB congeners (187, 156, 99) in maternal serum were associated with longer TTP in daughters.
  • Other PCB congeners (105, 138, 183) were associated with shorter TTP.
  • Women whose mothers had higher proportions of PCBs associated with longer TTP showed a 38% lower probability of pregnancy and higher infertility rates (30% vs. 11%).

Conclusions:

  • Developmental PCB exposure may disrupt human pregnancy.
  • This study provides the first human evidence linking developmental PCB exposure to reproductive disruption.
  • Findings highlight the potential long-term reproductive health risks associated with environmental PCB exposure.

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