title: Maternal levels of endocrine disruptors, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, in early pregnancy are not associated with lower birth weight in the Canadian birth cohort GESTE.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers are known endocrine disrupting environmental contaminants used as flame retardants. Their levels have increased in humans over the last ten years, raising concerns about their consequences on human health. Some animal studies suggest that PBDEs can affect fetal growth; however, the results of human studies are contradictory. This study evaluates the association between the most common PBDEs in maternal blood measured in early pregnancy and birth weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100 and BDE-153 levels were measured in 349 women during their first prenatal care visit at the University Hospital Center of Sherbrooke (Quebec, Canada). Birth weight and relevant medical information were collected from medical records. In contrast with previous studies, we examined the full range of clinical risk factors known to affect fetal growth as potential confounders, as well as other environmental pollutants that are likely to interact with fetal growth (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, lead, cadmium and manganese).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant relationship between PBDE levels in early pregnancy and birth weight in both unadjusted and multivariate regression models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that PBDEs in early pregnancy have little or no direct impact on birth weight, at least at the levels of exposure in our population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1H 5N4, Canada.
authors.forename: Yasmine K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Serme-Gbedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1H 5N4, Canada.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abdelouahab
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1H 5N4, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Pasquier
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, PRIMUS Research Group, University of Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 5N4, Canada.
authors.forename: Alan A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1H 5N4, Canada. Larissa.Takser@usherbrooke.ca.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Takser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000097:blood*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Birth weight; Cadmium; Lead; Manganese; Mercury; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Pregnancy