Effects of Environmental Exposures on Fetal and Childhood Growth Trajectories.
Delayed fetal growth and adverse birth outcomes are some of the greatest public health threats to this generation of children worldwide because these conditions are major determinants of mortality, morbidity, and disability in infancy and childhood and are also associated with diseases in adult life. A number of studies have investigated the impacts of a range of environmental conditions during pregnancy (including air pollution, endocrine disruptors, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals) on fetal and child development. The results, while provocative, have been largely inconsistent. This review summarizes up to date epidemiologic studies linking major environmental pollutants to fetal and child development and suggested future directions for further investigation.
Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI. Electronic address: tongzhang_zheng@brown.edu.
Tongzhang
T
Zheng
Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI.
Jie
J
Zhang
Haverford College, Haverford, PA.
Kathryn
K
Sommer
National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Bethesda, MD.
Bryan A
BA
Bassig
George Washington University, Washington, DC.
Xichi
X
Zhang
Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI.
Jospeh
J
Braun
Tongji School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.
Shuangqing
S
Xu
International Prevention Research Institute, Lyon, France.
Peter
P
Boyle
Wuhan Medical & Health Center for Women and Children, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.
Bin
B
Zhang
Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI.
Kunchong
K
Shi
Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI.
Stephen
S
Buka
Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI.
Siming
S
Liu
Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI; Tongji School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.
Yuanyuan
Y
Li
College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO.
Zengmin
Z
Qian
China National Cancer Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China.
Min
M
Dai
Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI.
Megan
M
Romano
Wuhan Medical & Health Center for Women and Children, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. China.
Aifen
A
Zou
Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI.
Karl
K
Kelsey
D000397:Air Pollution; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006801:Humans; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D015386:Hazardous Substances
adverse birth outcomes; catch-up growth; child development; environmental pollutants; fetal growths; low birth weight; prenatal exposure