title: Organochlorine Compounds and Ultrasound Measurements of Fetal Growth in the INMA Cohort (Spain).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have reported decreases in birth size associated with exposure to organochlorine compounds (OCs), but uncertainties remain regarding the critical windows of prenatal exposure and the effects on fetal body segments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the relationship between prenatal OC concentrations and fetal anthropometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured 4,4´-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (4,4´-DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (138, 153, and 180) in 2,369 maternal and 1,140 cord serum samples in four Spanish cohorts (2003-2008). We used linear mixed models to obtain longitudinal growth curves for estimated fetal weight (EFW), abdominal circumference (AC), biparietal diameter (BPD), and femur length (FL) adjusted by parental and fetal characteristics. We calculated standard deviation (SD) scores of growth at 0-12, 12-20, and 20-34 weeks of gestation as well as size at gestational week 34 for the four parameters. We studied the association between OCs and the fetal outcomes by cohort-specific linear models and subsequent meta-analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCBs were associated with a reduction in AC up to mid-pregnancy, and BPD and FL from gestational week 20 onward. An inverse association was also found between HCB and AC growth in early pregnancy. The reduction of these parameters ranged from -4% to -2% for a doubling in the OC concentrations. No association between 4,4´-DDE and fetal growth was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first study to report an association between prenatal exposure to some PCBs and HCB and fetal growth: AC during the first two trimesters of pregnancy, and BPD and FL later in pregnancy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Lopez-Espinosa MJ, Murcia M, Iñiguez C, Vizcaino E, Costa O, Fernández-Somoano A, Basterrechea M, Lertxundi A, Guxens M, Gascon M, Goñi-Irigoyen F, Grimalt JO, Tardón A, Ballester F. 2016. Organochlorine compounds and ultrasound measurements of fetal growth in the INMA cohort (Spain). Environ Health Perspect 124:157-163; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408907.
authors.affiliation: Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria-Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lopez-Espinosa
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murcia
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iñiguez
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vizcaino
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Somoano
authors.forename: Mikel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basterrechea
authors.forename: Aitana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lertxundi
authors.forename: Mònica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guxens
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gascon
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Goñi-Irigoyen
authors.forename: Joan O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Grimalt
authors.forename: Adonina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tardón
authors.forename: Ferran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ballester
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000633:toxicity*; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013030:Spain; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
chemical_list: D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated