title: Exposure to persistent organic pollutants in utero and related maternal characteristics on birth outcomes: a multivariate data analysis approach.
abstract: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have the capacity to pass through the placental barrier and into the fetal blood stream, and pose health risks to fetuses and neonates who are believed to be more vulnerable to the effects of environmental pollutants. In this study, the prevalence of POPs, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs), were determined in 41 cord blood samples collected during the year 2006 in Singapore. The effects of these xenobiotics and the maternal characteristics on fetal growth and development were explored using multivariate data analysis (MVA) techniques, including partial least-squares regression (PLSR) and discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). POPs were found in all cord blood samples, corroborating the transplacental transfer (TPT) of these xenobiotics. Chlordanes and PCBs were observed to have adverse effects on fetal growth (i.e. birth weight, length, head circumference) and health (as indicated by Apgar scores), indicating the chemical exposure in utero could also be deemed as an influential factor on fetal growth, even at the normal doses in general population. Maternal height, weight, ethnicity, dietary habits and lifestyle were also the determinants for the neonatal variables. Exposure to POPs may alter maternal hormone levels, which could regulate the offspring sex. Trans-chlordane, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT and PCB 138 and 158 were speculated as testosterone triggers which lead to more baby boys, while the effects of beta-HCH and PCB 180 were opposite.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117576 Singapore, Singapore. g0402629@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Annamalai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loganath
authors.forename: Yap Seng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Jeffrey Philip
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Obbard
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D049628:Body Size / Q000187:drug effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012846:Singapore; D014599:Uterus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides