title: Prenatal exposure to methylmercury and LCPUFA in relation to birth weight.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiologic studies have been inconclusive regarding the impact of coexposure to long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) and methylmercury (MeHg) from fish consumption during pregnancy on measures of fetal development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the association between birth weight and prenatal maternal LCPUFA status and MeHg exposure in the Republic of Seychelles.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured LCPUFA in maternal whole blood collected at 28 weeks of gestation and following delivery and MeHg in maternal hair obtained at delivery. There were 230 births with complete data on birth weight and covariates. Multiple linear regression models controlled for infant sex, gestational age, maternal age, smoking during pregnancy, intrapartum weight gain, prepregnancy body mass index, maternal socioeconomic status, parity, gestational diabetes, and alcohol use during pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average birth weight was 3252 g (range 1654-4450) and the average gestational age was 39 weeks (range 34-41). Prenatal MeHg exposure and maternal LCPUFA status were not associated with birth weight. Infant sex and length of gestation were the only predictors, with male sex and increased gestational age consistently associated with greater birth weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings do not support a relationship between prenatal exposure to LCPUFA and/or MeHg from fish consumption and birth weight.
authors: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY. Electronic address: edwin_van_wijngaarden@urmc.rochester.edu.
authors: Edwin
authors: E
authors: van Wijngaarden
authors: Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY.
authors: Donald
authors: D
authors: Harrington
authors: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY.
authors: Roni
authors: R
authors: Kobrosly
authors: Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY.
authors: Sally W
authors: SW
authors: Thurston
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK.
authors: Todd
authors: T
authors: O'Hara
authors: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland.
authors: Emeir M
authors: EM
authors: McSorley
authors: Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Neurology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY.
authors: Gary J
authors: GJ
authors: Myers
authors: Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Neurology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Eastman Department of Dentistry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY.
authors: Gene E
authors: GE
authors: Watson
authors: Ministry of Health, Victoria, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles.
authors: Conrad F
authors: CF
authors: Shamlaye
authors: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland.
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Strain
authors: Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY.
authors: Philip W
authors: PW
authors: Davidson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012750:Seychelles; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; C004925:methylmercuric chloride
keywords: Birth weight; Fatty acids; Maternal exposure; Methylmercury compounds; Unsaturated