In utero exposure to organochlorine pesticides and early menarche in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
Epidemiologic data supporting the role of organochlorine pesticides in pubertal development are limited.



Using a nested case-control design, serum collected during pregnancy from mothers of 218 girls who reported menarche before 11.5years of age (cases) and 230 girls who reported menarche at or after 11.5years of age (controls) was analyzed for 9 organochlorines and metabolites. We analyzed the association between in utero organochlorine concentrations and early menarche using multivariate logistic regression controlling for mother's age at menarche, or mother's prenatal BMI.



We did not observe an association between in utero exposure to HCB, β-HCH, ϒ-HCH, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, oxychlordane or trans-nonachlor and early menarche.



This study is the first to examine the association between in utero exposure to HCB, β-HCH, ϒ-HCH, oxychlordane or trans-nonachlor and early menarche. In utero exposure to organochlorine pesticides does not appear to have a role in the timing of menarche in this study.
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; College of Public Health, University of Georgia, 105 Spear Rd, Athens, GA 30602, USA. Electronic address: fos0@cdc.gov.
Gonza
G
Namulanda
College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, P O Box 70259, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA.
Mildred
M
Maisonet
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
Ethel
E
Taylor
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
W Dana
WD
Flanders
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
David
D
Olson
Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-17, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
Andreas
A
Sjodin
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
Judith R
JR
Qualters
Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon Street Suite 303, MSC 835, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
John
J
Vena
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, United Kingdom.
Kate
K
Northstone
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS F-60, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; College of Public Health, University of Georgia, 105 Spear Rd, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Luke
L
Naeher
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008572:Menarche; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood*
D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides
ALSPAC; Endocrine disrupting compounds; Menarche; Organochlorine pesticides; Puberty