title: Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), DDT metabolites and pregnancy outcomes.
abstract: Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are persistent endocrine disruptors. OCPs cross the placenta; this prenatal exposure has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We investigated associations between prenatal exposure to OCPs and gestational age and birth weight in 600 infants born between 1960 and 1963. The primary OCP was 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDT), its primary metabolite, 1,1'-dichloro-2,2'-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE) and the contaminant, 1,1,1-trichloro-2-(p-chlorophenyl)-2-(o-chlorophenyl)-ethane (o,p'-DDT). Regression analysis indicated that for each natural log unit increase in p,p'-DDT, birth weight increased by 274 g (95% CI: 122, 425) when controlling for p,p'-DDE and o,p'-DDT. At a given level of p,p'-DDT exposure, o,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE were associated with decreased birth weight. p,p'-DDE was negatively associated with length of gestation, controlling for p,p'-DDT and o,p'-DDT. These findings suggest opposing associations between exposure to p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE and birth weight. We did not find evidence to support mediation by maternal thyroid hormone status nor that the association differed by sex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. klk2131@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Katrina L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kezios
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Piera M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Cirillo
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Cohn
authors.forename: Olga I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Kalantzi
authors.forename: Yunzhu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Myrto X
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Petreas
authors.forename: June-Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Factor-Litvak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D003634:DDT / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000097:blood*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D003634:DDT