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Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances: Infant Birth Weight and Early Life Growth

Jessica Shoaff1, George D Papandonatos1, Antonia M Calafat2

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI.

Environmental Epidemiology (Philadelphia, Pa.)
|October 2, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was linked to altered child growth and body composition up to age two. However, PFAS did not significantly impact growth rates during this early developmental period.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Health
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a growing public health concern.
  • Previous studies suggest associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and adverse birth outcomes like reduced birth weight and childhood adiposity.
  • The impact of prenatal PFAS exposure on early childhood growth trajectories remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between prenatal exposure to specific PFAS, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and child growth and body composition up to two years of age.
  • To determine if prenatal PFAS exposure influences birth weight, anthropometric measurements, and growth rates in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study was conducted in Cincinnati, OH, involving pregnant women and their children.
  • Maternal serum was analyzed for concentrations of four key PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS).
  • Linear regression and linear mixed-effects models were used to assess associations with birth weight z-scores and repeated anthropometric measurements from birth to two years, adjusting for multiple covariates.

Main Results:

  • No significant inverse associations were found between prenatal PFAS levels and infant birth weight.
  • Stronger inverse associations were observed between prenatal PFAS concentrations and child body mass index (BMI) z-scores from 4 weeks to 2 years of age.
  • No significant associations were detected between prenatal PFAS exposure and the rate of growth in children during the first two years of life.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal exposure to PFAS is inversely associated with anthropometric measurements in children up to two years of age.
  • Despite associations with body composition, prenatal PFAS exposure does not appear to affect growth rates in the first two years of life.
  • Further research is warranted to understand the long-term implications of early-life PFAS exposure on child development and health.
Abstract

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