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Updated: May 8, 2026
Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Prenatal exposure to hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and reproductive effects in a multicentre birth cohort in Spain
Mikel Basterrechea1, Aitana Lertxundi, Carmen Iñiguez
1Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, Basque Government, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Health Research Institute, Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain.
Objective:
To investigate the possible association between birth size or gestational length and maternal serum concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in a population exposed to background levels.
Methods:
A total of 1568 mother-child pairs recruited in three Spanish areas (INMA Project) from 2004 to 2008 participated in the study. Multivariate analysis was performed between birth weight and length, weeks of gestation, preterm birth or small for gestational age and HCB concentrations in maternal serum.
Results:
The median concentration of HCB was 45.45 ng/g lipids. No association was found between HCB exposure levels and birth weight (β: -50.42 [-109.88; 9.04]), birth length (β: -0.07 [-0.32; 0.18]), gestation age (HR: 1.07 [0.94; 1.22]), small for gestational age (OR: 0.95 [0.56; 1.61]) and preterm birth (OR: 0.60 [0.29; 1.28]). Results remain similar after adjustment for other organochlorines.
Conclusion:
Our findings support the idea that exposure to low levels of HCB does not affect the intrauterine growth nor the duration of gestation.
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