title: Maternal arsenic exposure associated with low birth weight in Bangladesh.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the effects of maternal arsenic exposure on birth weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hair, toenail, and drinking water samples were collected from pregnant women (n = 52) at multiple time points during pregnancy and from their newborns after birth. Total arsenic was measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The association between arsenic and birth weight was investigated using linear and logistic regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal hair arsenic measured early in pregnancy was associated with decreased birth weight (beta = -193.5 +/- 90.0 g, P = 0.04). Maternal hair and drinking water arsenic levels measured at first prenatal visit were significantly correlated with newborn hair arsenic level (rho = 0.32, P = 0.04 and rho = 0.31, P = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that maternal arsenic exposure early in pregnancy negatively affects newborn birth weight and that maternal hair provides the best integrated measure of arsenic exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Huyck
authors.forename: Molly L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kile
authors.forename: Golam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mahiuddin
authors.forename: Quazi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Quamruzzaman
authors.forename: Mahmuder
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Carrie V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Breton
authors.forename: Christine B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Dobson
authors.forename: Janna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frelich
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Jabed
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yousuf
authors.forename: Sakila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Afroz
authors.forename: Shofiqul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Christiani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001151:Arsenic