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Sex differences in the effects of prenatal lead exposure on birth outcomes
Ju Wang1, Zhen-Yan Gao2, Jin Yan2
1School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Insights
Prenatal lead exposure shows sex-specific effects on infant birth outcomes. Cord blood lead levels were linked to head circumference in males and ponderal index in females, with maternal diet as a potential factor.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Perinatal Epidemiology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Inconsistent findings exist regarding prenatal lead exposure and birth outcomes.
- Limited data address sex differences in these associations.
- Lead exposure remains a significant public health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between cord blood lead levels and various birth outcomes.
- To examine potential sex differences in these associations.
- To explore the role of maternal dietary intake as a confounder.
Main Methods:
- Cord blood lead levels were measured in 1009 mother-infant pairs in Shanghai.
- Associations with birth weight, length, head circumference, and ponderal index were analyzed.
- Analyses were conducted for the total sample and within male and female subgroups.
Main Results:
- Prenatal lead exposure was inversely associated with head circumference in males.
- Lead exposure was associated with decreased ponderal index in females.
- Male birth weight showed a positive association with lead levels, potentially confounded by maternal diet.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal lead exposure may exert sex-specific effects on infant development.
- Maternal dietary habits could influence the relationship between lead exposure and birth outcomes.
- Further research is crucial to understand these complex interactions.
Abstract:
Studies on the associations between prenatal lead exposure and birth outcomes have been inconsistent, and few data are available on the sex differences in these associations. We measured the cord blood lead levels of newborns in Shanghai and determined their associations with birth outcomes, which included birth weight, birth length, head circumference, and the ponderal index, in the total sample and within sex subgroups. A total of 1009 mother-infant pairs were enrolled from 10 hospitals in Shanghai between September 2008 and October 2009. The geometric mean of the cord blood lead concentrations was 4.07 μg/dl (95% CI: 3.98-4.17 μg/dl). A significant inverse association was found between cord blood lead levels and head circumference only in the male subgroup, and increasing cord blood lead levels were related to significant decreases in the ponderal index only in females. The birth weights of the male infants were positively associated with cord blood lead levels; after adjusting for the maternal intake frequency of preserved eggs, the estimated mean differences in birth weights decreased by 11.7% for each 1-unit increase in the log10-transformed cord blood lead concentration. Our findings suggest that prenatal lead exposure may have sex-specific effects on birth outcomes and that maternal dietary intake may be a potential confounder in these relationships. Further studies on this topic are highly warranted.