Novel biomarkers of fetal and neonatal environmental exposure, effect and susceptibility

Rapid advancements in science and technology have allowed medical providers to treat wider ranges of diseases with safer and more effective therapies than ever before. One of the areas of health that has been consistently understudied, however, is one that affects us all: environmental health or the effects that the chemicals we are exposed to every day have on our acute and chronic health. This effect can be exacerbated during and shortly after pregnancy, as an individual exposure is often shared by both the mother and the fetus/neonate. The diagnosis and monitoring of chemical exposure can be quite challenging, and improving our understanding of the effects of exposure will therefore require effective use of an expanding set of biomarker tests and biological matrices. This review covers the background and history of neonatal biomarkers of exposure, effect, and susceptibility, focusing on the potential uses for the non-invasive matrix of exhaled breath for the detection and monitoring of chemical exposures. IMPACT: Provides a brief overview of Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health Joint Leadership Council BEST (Biomarkers, EndpointS, and other Tools) Resource. Summarizes new and potential biomarkers for fetal exposure. Collates studies using breath as a matrix for environmental exposures.