Silvia Manea1, Laura Salmaso2, Giulia Lorenzoni2, Monica Mazzucato2, Francesca Russo3, Domenico Mantoan4, Marco Martuzzi5, Tony Fletcher6, Paola Facchin2. 1. Veneto Region Rare Diseases Coordinating Centre, Veneto Region Birth Register, University Hospital of Padua, Via Pietro Donà 11, 35129, Padova, Italy. Electronic address: silvia.manea@regione.veneto.it. 2. Veneto Region Rare Diseases Coordinating Centre, Veneto Region Birth Register, University Hospital of Padua, Via Pietro Donà 11, 35129, Padova, Italy. 3. Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health of Veneto Region, Dorsoduro, 3493, Rio Nuovo, 30123, Venezia, Italy. 4. Health and Social Care Directorate, Veneto Region, Palazzo Molin, San Polo, 2514, 30125, Venezia, Italy. 5. Environment and Health Impact Assessment, WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, Platz der Vereinten Nationen, 1, D-53113, Bonn, Germany. 6. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17, Tavistock Place, WC1H 9SH, London, United Kingdom.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) in serum are inversely associated with fetal growth. Small for gestational age (SGA) is a measure based on birth weight and gestational age at birth and represents a good indicator of fetal growth but it has been used only in a small number of studies. We examined the association between PFAS exposure and the risk of severe SGA in a PFAS contaminated area in the Veneto Region (North-East of Italy). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study has been developed including all singleton live births reported in the Veneto Region Birth Registry between 2003 and 2018 to mothers living in the contaminated and in a control area. We estimated the association between mothers' area of residence and severe SGA using crude RR (and 95% CI) and stepwise logistic regression, including all the maternal characteristics. RESULTS: The study included 105,114 singleton live births. The occurence of severe SGA was 3.44% in the contaminated area and 2.67% in the control area. The multivariate analysis confirmed that living in the contaminated area significantly increased the odds of severe SGA (adjusted OR 1.27 (95% C.I. 1.16, 1.39)). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that living in a contaminated area by PFAS plays a role in affecting fetal growth and support the hypothesis that PFAS exposure is a risk factor for SGA. Individual data on exposure are needed to confirm the direct association.
BACKGROUND:Perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) in serum are inversely associated with fetal growth. Small for gestational age (SGA) is a measure based on birth weight and gestational age at birth and represents a good indicator of fetal growth but it has been used only in a small number of studies. We examined the association between PFAS exposure and the risk of severe SGA in a PFAS contaminated area in the Veneto Region (North-East of Italy). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study has been developed including all singleton live births reported in the Veneto Region Birth Registry between 2003 and 2018 to mothers living in the contaminated and in a control area. We estimated the association between mothers' area of residence and severe SGA using crude RR (and 95% CI) and stepwise logistic regression, including all the maternal characteristics. RESULTS: The study included 105,114 singleton live births. The occurence of severe SGA was 3.44% in the contaminated area and 2.67% in the control area. The multivariate analysis confirmed that living in the contaminated area significantly increased the odds of severe SGA (adjusted OR 1.27 (95% C.I. 1.16, 1.39)). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that living in a contaminated area by PFAS plays a role in affecting fetal growth and support the hypothesis that PFAS exposure is a risk factor for SGA. Individual data on exposure are needed to confirm the direct association.
Authors: Stephanie M Eick; Elizabeth A Enright; Amy M Padula; Max Aung; Sarah D Geiger; Lara Cushing; Jessica Trowbridge; Alexander P Keil; Hyoung Gee Baek; Sabrina Smith; June-Soo Park; Erin DeMicco; Susan L Schantz; Tracey J Woodruff; Rachel Morello-Frosch Journal: Environ Int Date: 2022-04-09 Impact factor: 13.352