Exposure to persistent organic pollutants in Danish pregnant women: Hormone levels and fetal growth indices

Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen*, Sophie Amalie H. Boesen, Maria Wielsøe, Tine Brink Henriksen, Bodil Hammer Bech, Þórhallur Ingi Halldórsson, Manhai Long

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study examines possible associations of maternal Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) exposure during pregnancy, maternal hormone levels and fetal growth indices (FGI). During 1st trimester, we measured maternal thyroids, androgens and estrogens, lipophilic POP and perfluorinated-alkyl-acid (PFAA) levels in serum from nulliparous women. Adjusted multivariate-linear regression models assessed associations between exposure and outcomes. Maternal characteristics and POP exposures associated with maternal hormone levels. Lipophilic POP elicited inverse association with androgen and estrogen levels but no strong association with thyroids. Higher level of PFAA was associated with higher thyroid and androgen levels. The PFAA did not associate with estrogens. Higher thyroid-peroxidase-antibody (TPO-Ab) and estradiol level associated with higher birth weight and length in sons. For daughters, the TPO-Ab associations were the opposite being inversely associated with birth weight and length, and higher TPO-Ab and estradiol associated with lower gestational age. Mediation analyses suggested that TPO-Ab mediates the association of PFAA with FGI.

Original languageEnglish
Article number104108
Pages (from-to)104108
JournalEnvironmental Toxicology and Pharmacology
Volume99
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank our fellow researchers of the FETOTOX project (http://www.fetotox.au.dk) for their contributions to the work. The Danish Council , Denmark supported the study for Strategic Research (Grant 10–092818 ). The funders were not involved in the research activities. The Aarhus Birth Cohort Biobank is funded by a grant from the Danish National Research Foundation , Denmark 271-07-0658 with additional support from TrygFonden, Denmark 4007-09 and the Aarhus University Research Foundation, Denmark F-2009-SUN-1-8. The authors also thank the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme HBM4EU for financial support under Grant Agreement No. 733032 .

Funding Information:
We thank our fellow researchers of the FETOTOX project (http://www.fetotox.au.dk) for their contributions to the work. The Danish Council, Denmark supported the study for Strategic Research (Grant 10–092818). The funders were not involved in the research activities. The Aarhus Birth Cohort Biobank is funded by a grant from the Danish National Research Foundation, Denmark 271-07-0658 with additional support from TrygFonden, Denmark 4007-09 and the Aarhus University Research Foundation, Denmark F-2009-SUN-1-8. The authors also thank the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme HBM4EU for financial support under Grant Agreement No. 733032.

Funding Information:
We thank our fellow researchers of the FETOTOX project (http://www.fetotox.au.dk) for their contributions to the work. The Danish Council supported the study for Strategic Research (Grant 10–092818). The funders were not involved in the research activities. The Aarhus Birth Cohort Biobank is funded by a grant from the Danish National Research Foundation with additional support from TrygFonden and the Aarhus University Research Foundation. The authors also thank the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme HBM4EU for financial support under Grant Agreement No. 733032.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Other keywords

  • Fetal growth indices
  • Maternal exposure
  • Persistent organic pollutants
  • PFAS
  • Sex hormones
  • Thyroid hormones

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