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Prenatal fluoride exposure and motor development among infants in Los Angeles, California

Durdana Khan1, Sandrah P Eckel2, Ixel Hernandez-Castro3

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.

Environmental Research
|July 9, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal fluoride exposure is linked to worse infant motor development. This study in Los Angeles found higher maternal urinary fluoride in the third trimester associated with poorer gross motor skills in infants.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Neurodevelopmental Toxicology
  • Pediatric Health

Background:

  • Prenatal exposure to fluoride at US population levels is linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.
  • Previous US studies have not investigated these associations in infancy.
  • This study focused on prenatal fluoride exposure and infant neurodevelopment in Los Angeles, California.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between prenatal fluoride exposure and infant neurodevelopmental outcomes.
  • To examine if fluoride exposure during pregnancy impacts motor skills, problem-solving, communication, and social functioning in infants.
  • To assess these associations in a prospective birth cohort in urban Los Angeles.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the MADRES (Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors) cohort, a predominately Hispanic pregnancy and birth cohort.
  • Measured third-trimester specific gravity-adjusted maternal urinary fluoride (MUFSG) as a biomarker for fluoride exposure.
  • Assessed infant neurodevelopment using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 (ASQ-3) at multiple time points and employed longitudinal negative binomial regression for analysis.

Main Results:

  • Analyzed data from 346 mother-child pairs with a median MUFSG of 0.79 mg/L.
  • Found a significant association between higher MUFSG and worse infant gross motor performance (IRR=1.22, p=0.02).
  • No significant associations were observed for fine motor, problem solving, personal-social, or communication skills.

Conclusions:

  • Third-trimester prenatal fluoride exposure may elevate the risk of developmental neurotoxicity presenting in infancy.
  • The findings suggest a potential impact on gross motor development.
  • Further research is recommended across diverse US regions to validate these findings nationally.
Abstract

Keywords:
Ages and stages Questionnaire-3 (ASQ-3)Infant motor developmentMADRES cohortMaternal urinary fluoridePrenatal fluoride exposure

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