Polychlorinated biphenyls and menstrual cycle characteristics.
BACKGROUND
Experimental studies in nonhuman primates provide evidence that low-level exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may affect aspects of their menstrual cycle, including cycle length, regularity, and bleeding duration. Few studies have examined these associations in humans.


METHODS
We used data from 2314 pregnant women who participated in the Collaborative Perinatal Project, a cohort study that enrolled pregnant women in the 1960s in 12 centers in the United States. Information about usual (prepregnancy) menstrual cycle length, regularity, bleeding duration, and dysmenorrhea was collected at enrollment, and 11 PCBs and p,p'-DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE) were measured in stored blood samples collected during the third trimester of pregnancy. We used multivariate linear and logistic regression to examine the association between organochlorine levels and menstrual cycles, adjusting for demographic factors, cholesterol, and triglycerides.


RESULTS
Total PCBs were positively associated with increasing menstrual cycle length (adjusted difference across 5 categories of PCB exposure = 0.7 days, trend-test P value = 0.02). Irregular cycles were slightly more frequent among those in the 2 highest categories of PCB exposure (odds ratio for highest category = 1.5; 95% confidence interval = 0.70-3.3), and there also was some evidence of an association with DDE. The strengths of these associations increased with various exclusions made to decrease potential misclassification of the outcome and the exposures. There was little evidence for associations between DDE or PCBs and bleeding duration, heavy bleeding, or dysmenorrhea.


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports experimental studies in monkeys showing an effect of low-dose PCB exposure on menstrual function.
Cooper
Glinda S
GS
Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA. cooper1@niehs.nih.gov
Klebanoff
Mark A
MA
Promislow
Joanne
J
Brock
John W
JW
Longnecker
Matthew P
MP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000506:poisoning*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000506:poisoning*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000506:poisoning*; D011247:Pregnancy
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007306:Insecticides; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls