title: Maternal concentrations of polyfluoroalkyl compounds during pregnancy and fetal and postnatal growth in British girls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prenatal exposures to polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) may be associated with adverse changes in fetal and postnatal growth.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We explored associations of prenatal serum concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) with fetal and postnatal growth in girls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied a sample of 447 singleton girls and their mothers participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Data on weight and length were obtained at birth and at 2, 9, and 20 months. Serum samples were obtained in 1991-1992, from mothers during pregnancy. We explored associations between prenatal PFC concentrations and weight at birth as well as longitudinal changes in weight-for-age SD scores between birth and 20 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PFOS (median, 19.6 ng/mL), PFOA (median, 3.7 ng/mL), and PFHxS (median, 1.6 ng/mL) were detected in 100% of samples. On average, girls born to mothers with prenatal concentrations of PFOS in the upper tertile weighed 140 g less [95% confidence interval (CI): -238, -42] at birth than girls born to mothers with concentrations in the lower tertile in adjusted models. Similar patterns were seen for PFOA (-133 g; 95% CI: -237, -30) and PFHxS (-108 g; 95% CI: -206, -10). At 20 months, however, girls born to mothers with prenatal concentrations of PFOS in the upper tertile weighed 580 g more (95% CI: 301, 858) when compared with those in the lower tertile. No differences in weight were found for PFOA and PFHxS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Girls with higher prenatal exposure to each of the PFCs examined were smaller at birth than those with lower exposure. In addition, those with higher exposure to PFOS were larger at 20 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Mildred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maisonet
authors.forename: Metrecia L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Terrell
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McGeehin
authors.forename: Krista Yorita
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Adrianne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Antonia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Calafat
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002210:Caprylates / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; C471071:perfluorohexanesulfonic acid; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid