Relation between prenatal lipid-soluble micronutrient status, environmental pollutant exposure, and birth outcomes.
BACKGROUND
Adverse postnatal health effects have been associated with compromised fetal growth, which makes it essential to understand its determinants. Significant effects of environmental pollutants on birth outcomes have been observed in our study population, and nutritional status may be an additional factor influencing fetal development and effects of environmental toxins.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to examine the relations between birth outcomes and lipid-soluble plasma micronutrient concentrations and to explore interactions between micronutrients and environmental pollutant exposure in newborns in Krakow, Poland.


METHODS
In this prospective cohort study, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and carotenoids were measured in maternal and cord blood samples obtained at delivery (251 maternal-newborn pairs), and birth weight, birth length, head circumference (HC), and gestational age were evaluated. Linear regression analysis was used to estimate the effects of micronutrients while covariates were controlled for. Interaction terms assessed whether the effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), common environmental pollutants, varied by nutrient status.


RESULTS
Infants whose mothers had low plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations (below the median) weighed 92.9 g less and had 0.41-cm smaller HCs than did infants whose mothers had high alpha-tocopherol concentrations. Infants with low plasma retinol (below the median) weighed 125.9 g less and had 0.31-cm smaller HCs. There was no evidence of an interaction between PAHs and micronutrients, although power was limited.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal alpha-tocopherol and cord retinol concentrations were significantly and positively associated with BW and HC. These micronutrients may have direct effects or may be markers for other underlying determinants of these pregnancy outcomes.
Masters
Elizabeth T
ET
Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Jedrychowski
Wieslaw
W
Schleicher
Rosemary L
RL
Tsai
Wei-Yann
WY
Tu
Yi-Hsuan
YH
Camann
David
D
Tang
Deliang
D
Perera
Frederica P
FP
D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011044:Poland; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D018977:Micronutrients; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol