Sources of greater fetal vulnerability to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons among African Americans.
BACKGROUND
This study attempted to clarify the household and mother's lifestyle factors that contribute to the greater fetal vulnerability of African-American individuals to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).


METHODS
Non-smoking pregnant women with no known risks of adverse birth outcome were monitored for their personal exposure to airborne PAH. Birth outcomes were collected from the hospital medical record. Modification of the airborne PAH effects was statistically examined. In linear regression analyses, modification of PAH effect by demographic, socioeconomic and behavioural traits on birth weight and fetal growth ratio were respectively tested, adjusting for the gestational age, gender, parity, delivery season, maternal body mass index and weight gained during the present pregnancy.


RESULTS
Maternal obesity exacerbated the airborne PAH risk by -491 g per 25th to 80th percentile unit exposure (95% CI -197 to -786 g; p<0.01) among African Americans. In addition, frequent dietary intake of smoked, grilled or barbequed items independently reduced the birth weight of African-American newborns by -204 g (95% CI -21 to -387 g; p=0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal obesity significantly exacerbated the risk of prenatal PAH exposure in African-American newborns. Also, frequent dietary consumption of PAH-laden food items posed an independent risk on the reduced birth weight among African Americans.
Choi
Hyunok
H
Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Building I, Suite 1406, Boston, MA 02115, USA. hchoi@hsph.harvard.edu
Perera
Frederica P
FP
D001741:Black or African American; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008019:Life Style; D016014:Linear Models; D009765:Obesity; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000506:poisoning; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
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