title: Perfluorooctanoate exposure and major birth defects.
abstract: Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) is detectable in umbilical cord blood and amniotic fluid. Some toxicological findings suggest that perfluoroalkyl substances may be teratogenic. Using data from the C8 Health Project, a 2005-2006 survey in a Mid-Ohio Valley community exposed to PFOA through contaminated drinking water, we examined the association between estimated prenatal PFOA concentration and maternally reported birth defects (n=325) among 10,262 live singleton or multiple births from 1990 to 2006. Logistic regression models accounted for siblings using generalized estimating equations. There was generally no association between estimated PFOA concentration and birth defects, with the possible exception of brain defects, where the odds ratio adjusted for year of conception was 2.6 (95% confidence interval 1.3-5.1) for an increase in estimated PFOA exposure from the 25th to 75th percentile. This estimate, however, was based on 13 cases and may represent a chance finding. Further investigation of this potential association may be warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY 10029-6574, United States. Electronic address: cheryl.stein@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Cheryl R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States. Electronic address: david_savitz@brown.edu.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Savitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States. Electronic address: beth_elston@brown.edu.
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elston
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States. Electronic address: pht1@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Phoebe G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Thorpe
authors.affiliation: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States. Electronic address: suz0@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gilboa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002210:Caprylates / Q000097:blood*; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid
keywords: Congenital abnormalities; Epidemiology; Fluorocarbons; Perfluorooctanoic acid