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Updated: Apr 18, 2026
Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Pregnancy serum concentrations of perfluorinated alkyl substances and offspring behaviour and motor development at
Birgit Bjerre Høyer1, Cecilia Høst Ramlau-Hansen, Carsten Obel
1Danish Ramazzini Centre, Department of Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, building 2c, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark. birghoey@rm.dk.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) may impact children's behavior, particularly hyperactivity. Associations were strongest in Greenland, suggesting a potential link between these chemicals and neuro-behavioral development.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental contaminants with known effects on growth and neurodevelopment in animal studies.
- Human epidemiological data on PFAS and neuro-behavioral outcomes are limited, necessitating further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between maternal serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) during pregnancy and offspring behavior and motor development.
- To assess neuro-behavioral outcomes in children aged 5-9 years.
Main Methods:
- Maternal serum samples from 1,106 mother-child pairs in the INUENDO cohort (Greenland, Ukraine, Poland) were analyzed for PFOA and PFOS using liquid-chromatography-tandem-mass-spectrometry.
- Child behavior and motor development were assessed using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ), respectively.
- Statistical analyses included multiple logistic and linear regression models to evaluate exposure-outcome associations.
Main Results:
- In pooled analyses, the highest PFOA tertile was associated with a significant increase in hyperactivity odds (OR 3.1).
- Elevated PFOS was linked to more behavioral problems in Greenland (SDQ-total score β=1.0) and PFOA to hyperactivity (β=0.5).
- No significant associations were found between prenatal PFOS/PFOA exposure and motor development difficulties.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal exposure to PFOA and PFOS may exert a small to moderate influence on children's neuro-behavioral development, particularly hyperactivity.
- The observed associations were most pronounced in Greenland, likely due to a larger exposure contrast.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the specific mechanisms and long-term impacts of PFAS on child neurodevelopment.
Background:
In animal studies, perfluorinated alkyl substances affect growth and neuro-behavioural outcomes. Human epidemiological studies are sparse. The aim was to investigate the association between pregnancy serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and offspring behaviour and motor development at 5-9 years of age.
Methods:
Maternal sera from the INUENDO cohort (2002-2004) comprising 1,106 mother-child pairs from Greenland, Kharkiv (Ukraine) and Warsaw (Poland) were analysed for PFOS and PFOA, using liquid-chromatography-tandem-mass-spectrometry. Exposures were grouped into country specific as well as pooled tertiles as well as being used as continuous variables for statistical analyses. Child motor development and behaviour at follow-up (2010-2012) were measured by the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ) and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), respectively. Exposure-outcome associations were analysed by multiple logistic and linear regression analyses.
Results:
In the pooled analysis, odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for hyperactivity was 3.1 (1.3, 7.2) comparing children prenatally exposed to the highest PFOA tertile with those exposed to the lowest PFOA tertile. Comparing children in the highest PFOS tertile with those in the lowest PFOS tertile showed elevated but statistically non-significant OR of hyperactivity (OR (95% CI) 1.7 (0.9, 3.2)). In Greenland, elevated PFOS was associated with higher SDQ-total scores indicating more behavioural problems (β (95% CI)=1.0 (0.1, 2.0)) and elevated PFOA was associated with higher hyperactivity sub-scale scores indicating more hyperactive behaviour (β (95% CI)=0.5 (0.1, 0.9)). Prenatal PFOS and PFOA exposures were not associated with motor difficulties.
Conclusions:
Prenatal exposure to PFOS and PFOA may have a small to moderate effect on children's neuro-behavioural development, specifically in terms of hyperactive behaviour. The associations were strongest in Greenland where exposure contrast is largest.
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