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Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and infant growth and adiposity: the Healthy Start Study

Anne P Starling1, John L Adgate2, Richard F Hamman1

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.

Environment International
|July 9, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is linked to infant growth differences. Maternal PFAS concentrations were associated with infant adiposity in males and weight changes in females, indicating sex-specific effects on early development.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is associated with altered birth weight and childhood adiposity.
  • A hypothesis suggests faster infant growth may correlate with maternal PFAS levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal serum PFAS concentrations during pregnancy and offspring weight and adiposity at approximately 5 months of age.
  • To examine the relationship between maternal PFAS levels and infant growth trajectories in early life.

Main Methods:

  • A longitudinal cohort study of 415 mother-infant pairs was conducted.
  • Associations were estimated using linear and logistic regression, adjusting for confounders like maternal BMI.
  • Multipollutant regression models were used to evaluate confounding by correlated exposures and effect modification by infant sex.

Main Results:

  • Sex-specific associations were observed: maternal perfluorooctanoate and perfluorononanoate linked to higher adiposity in male infants.
  • Maternal perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) associated with lower weight-for-age z-scores in female infants.
  • One PFAS, 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetate, was associated with increased odds of rapid infant growth in weight-for-age and weight-for-length.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal PFAS concentrations show sex- and chemical-specific associations with infant weight and adiposity.
  • Multipollutant models indicated potential confounding from correlated PFAS with opposing effects.
  • While prenatal PFAS exposure may be linked to lower birth weight, rapid infant weight and fat mass gain can occur postnatally.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdiposityInfancyPerfluoroalkyl substancesPolyfluoroalkyl substancesPregnancyRapid growthWeight-for-ageWeight-for-length

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