title: Prenatal exposure to hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and reproductive effects in a multicentre birth cohort in Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the possible association between birth size or gestational length and maternal serum concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in a population exposed to background levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1568 mother-child pairs recruited in three Spanish areas (INMA Project) from 2004 to 2008 participated in the study. Multivariate analysis was performed between birth weight and length, weeks of gestation, preterm birth or small for gestational age and HCB concentrations in maternal serum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median concentration of HCB was 45.45 ng/g lipids. No association was found between HCB exposure levels and birth weight (β: -50.42 [-109.88; 9.04]), birth length (β: -0.07 [-0.32; 0.18]), gestation age (HR: 1.07 [0.94; 1.22]), small for gestational age (OR: 0.95 [0.56; 1.61]) and preterm birth (OR: 0.60 [0.29; 1.28]). Results remain similar after adjustment for other organochlorines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support the idea that exposure to low levels of HCB does not affect the intrauterine growth nor the duration of gestation.
authors: Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, Basque Government, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Health Research Institute, Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain. Electronic address: epidem1-san@ej-gv.es.
authors: Mikel
authors: M
authors: Basterrechea
authors: Aitana
authors: A
authors: Lertxundi
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Iñiguez
authors: Michelle
authors: M
authors: Mendez
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Murcia
authors: Imanol
authors: I
authors: Mozo
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Goñi
authors: Joan
authors: J
authors: Grimalt
authors: Marieta
authors: M
authors: Fernández
authors: Mònica
authors: M
authors: Guxens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018568:Crown-Rump Length; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005865:Gestational Age; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000187:drug effects; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene
keywords: 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene; BMI; Birth size; GC-ECD; GC-MSD; GC-NICI-MS; Gestation length; HCB; INMA; Infant and the Environment; LMP; OCs; PCB; Pregnancy; SGA; body mass index; gas chromatograph–electron capture detector; gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer detector; gas chromatograph–negative ion chemical ionization–mass spectrometry; hexachlorobenzene; last menstrual period; organochlorine compounds; p,p′-DDE; polychlorinated biphenyls; small for gestational age