title: In utero exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants and reproductive health in the human male.
abstract: Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) are ubiquitous, bioaccumulative compounds with potential endocrine-disrupting effects. They cross the placental barrier thereby resulting in in utero exposure of the developing fetus. The objective of this study was to investigate whether maternal serum concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) during pregnancy are associated with son's semen quality and reproductive hormone levels. During 2008-2009, we recruited 176 male offspring from a Danish cohort of pregnant women who participated in a study in 1988-1989. Each provided semen and blood samples that were analyzed for sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, and morphology, and reproductive hormone levels, respectively. The maternal blood samples were collected in pregnancy week 30 and were analyzed for the concentrations of six PCBs (PCB-118, -138, -153, -156, -170, and -180) and p,p'-DDE. The potential associations between in utero exposure to ΣPCBs (pmol/ml), Σdioxin like-(DL) PCBs (PCB-118 and -156) (pmol/ml), and p,p'-DDE and semen quality and reproductive hormone levels were investigated using multiple regression. Maternal median (range) exposure levels of ΣPCB, ΣDL-PCB, and p,p'-DDE were 10.0 (2.1-35.0) pmol/ml, 0.8 (0.2-2.7) pmol/ml, and 8.0 (0.7-55.3) pmol/ml, respectively, reflecting typical background exposure levels in the late 1980s in Denmark. Results suggested that in utero exposure to ΣPCB, ΣDL-PCB, and p,p'-DDE was not statistically significantly associated with semen quality measures or reproductive hormone levels. Thus, results based on maternal PCB and p,p'-DDE concentrations alone are not indicative of long-term consequences for male reproductive health; however, we cannot exclude that these POPs in concert with other endocrine-modulating compounds may have adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark anneveed@rm.dk.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vested
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Cecilia H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ramlau-Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sjurdur F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jens Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bonde
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Støvring
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Susanne L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Thorhallur I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Halldorsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Panu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rantakokko
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiviranta
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Emil H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational MedicineDanish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 2C, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkSection for EpidemiologyDepartment of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1260, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkStatens Serum InstitutCentre for Fetal Programming, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkDepartment of Occupational and Environmental MedicineBispebjerg Hospital of Copenhagen University, Bispebjerg Bakke 23 Building 33 1st floor, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, DenmarkDepartment of Public HealthBiostatistics, Bartholins Allé 2 Building 1261, DK-8000 Aarhus C, DenmarkFaculty of Food Science and NutritionUniversity of Iceland, Eiríksgata 29, 101 Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Environmental HealthNational Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, FinlandSection WestInstitute for Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 2, build. 1170, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toft
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000009:adverse effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000009:adverse effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055101:Semen Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D013739:Testosterone; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls