Association between urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion from a...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Reproductive Toxicology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
• Limited data exists on the specific impact of single or mixed PAH exposures on unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA).
• Monohydroxylated PAHs (OH-PAHs) are metabolites of PAHs, and their role in URSA requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between exposure to specific OH-PAHs and the risk of URSA.
• To identify which OH-PAHs, individually or as a mixture, contribute to URSA risk.
• To assess the potential of 3-benzanthracene (3-BAA) as a risk factor for URSA.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study design was employed.
• Quantification of sixteen OH-PAHs in study participants.
• Statistical analyses included logistic regression, Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression, Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR), and quantile-based g-computation (qgcomp).

Main Results:

• 1-Naphthol, 2-Naphthol, 9-Fluorene, and 1-Pyrene were detected in all subjects.
• Higher quartiles of 3-benzanthracene (3-BAA) exposure were significantly associated with an increased risk of URSA (OR = 3.56).
• Multi-mixture analyses consistently identified 3-BAA as the primary contributor to the observed effects of OH-PAHs on URSA.

Conclusions:

• Exposure to 3-benzanthracene (3-BAA) may represent a significant risk factor for unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA).
• The study highlights the importance of considering specific OH-PAH metabolites in understanding environmental exposures and reproductive health.
• Further prospective studies are recommended to validate these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.