title: Thyroid hormones in pregnancy in relation to environmental exposure to organochlorine compounds and mercury.
abstract: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorinated pesticides, and mercury are global environmental contaminants that can disrupt the endocrine system in animals and humans. However, there is little evidence that they can interfere with endocrine status in pregnant women and neonates at low levels of exposure. The aim of this study was to examine thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy and in cord blood in relation to blood concentrations of organochlorine compounds (OCs) and Hg in healthy women recruited during pregnancy. We found a significant negative correlation between maternal total triiodothyronine levels and three non-coplanar congeners (PCB-138, PCB-153, and PCB-180), three pesticides (p,p -DDE, cis-nanochlor, and hexachlorobenzene), and inorganic Hg independently, without any other changes in thyroid status. No significant relationships were observed between OCs and cord serum thyroid hormones. Cord serum free thyroxin was negatively correlated with inorganic Hg. These results suggest that at even low levels of exposure, persistent environmental contaminants can interfere with thyroid status during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie Materno-foetale, Université du Quebec à Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Takser
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mergler
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Grosbois
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smargiassi
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lafond
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D008628:Mercury; D013974:Thyroxine