Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and child behavioral problems
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Published on: March 6, 2018
Jeong Weon Choi1, Jiwon Oh2, Deborah H Bennett2
1Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is linked to increased child behavioral issues. Specific PFAS, like PFNA, were associated with externalizing and aggressive behaviors in children.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Toxicology
Background:
- Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may impact child development, but existing research shows inconsistencies.
- This study investigates the association between prenatal PFAS exposure and behavioral problems in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between prenatal exposure to specific PFAS and child behavioral outcomes.
- To assess the impact of PFAS mixtures on child behavior.
Main Methods:
- The study included 177 mother-child pairs from the MARBLES cohort, with a familial risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- Nine PFAS were measured in maternal serum across trimesters; child behaviors were assessed at age 3 using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).
- Statistical analyses included negative binomial regression and weighted quantile sum regression to evaluate associations between individual PFAS, mixtures, and behavioral scores.
Main Results:
- Higher prenatal perfluorononanoate (PFNA) exposure was associated with increased externalizing problems and aggressive behavior.
- Elevated levels of PFNA, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) correlated with higher scores for sleep problems.
- Associations between PFAS and behavioral problems were more pronounced in children diagnosed with ASD or other neurodevelopmental concerns, with no significant findings in typically developing children.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal exposure to certain PFAS is associated with an increased risk of behavioral problems in 3-year-old children.
- Findings suggest specific PFAS, including PFNA, PFOS, and PFDA, may contribute to behavioral issues, particularly in vulnerable populations.
- Results should be interpreted cautiously due to the study's focus on a cohort with a higher familial likelihood of ASD.
Background:
Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may adversely affect child behaviors; however, findings of epidemiologic studies are inconsistent. We examined prenatal PFAS exposure in association with child behavioral problems.
Methods:
Participants were 177 mother-child pairs from MARBLES (Markers of Autism Risk in Babies - Learning Early Signs), a cohort with elevated familial likelihood of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We quantified nine PFAS in maternal serum (1-3 samples per mother) collected from the 1st to 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. Child behavioral problems were assessed at 3 years of age using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), developed to test for various behavioral problems of children. We examined associations of the CBCL scores with individual PFAS concentrations and with their mixture using negative binomial regression and weighted quantile sum regression models.
Results:
Higher prenatal perfluorononanoate (PFNA) concentrations were associated with higher scores of externalizing problems [β = 0.16, 95% CI (0.01, 0.32)] and aggressive behavior [β = 0.17 (0.01, 0.32)]. Higher PFNA, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) were associated with higher scores of sleep problems [β = 0.34 (0.15, 0.54) for PFNA, β = 0.20 (0.02, 0.37) for PFOS, and β = 0.19 (0.00, 0.37) for PFDA]. No significant associations observed for typically developing children, whereas PFOS, PFNA, and PFDA were associated with several behavioral problems among children diagnosed with ASD or other neurodevelopmental concerns. Exposure to a mixture of PFAS was associated with higher scores of sleep problems and aggressive behavior, mostly contributed by PFNA and PFDA.
Conclusions:
Our study showed that prenatal exposure to some PFAS could increase child behavioral problems at 3 years of age. However, our results should be interpreted with caution because we relied on data from a cohort with increased familial likelihood of ASD and thereby had more behavioral problems.
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