Prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and the risk of congenital anomalies: a retrospective cohort study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prior animal and human studies of prenatal exposure to solvents including tetrachloroethylene (PCE) have shown increases in the risk of certain congenital anomalies among exposed offspring.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2009-09-01
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| Series: | Environmental Health |
| Online Access: | http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/44 |
| _version_ | 1818266904951783424 |
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| author | Webster Thomas F Vieira Veronica M Winter Michael R Gallagher Lisa G Janulewicz Patricia A Weinberg Janice M Aschengrau Ann Ozonoff David M |
| author_facet | Webster Thomas F Vieira Veronica M Winter Michael R Gallagher Lisa G Janulewicz Patricia A Weinberg Janice M Aschengrau Ann Ozonoff David M |
| author_sort | Webster Thomas F |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prior animal and human studies of prenatal exposure to solvents including tetrachloroethylene (PCE) have shown increases in the risk of certain congenital anomalies among exposed offspring.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>This retrospective cohort study examined whether PCE contamination of public drinking water supplies in Massachusetts influenced the occurrence of congenital anomalies among children whose mothers were exposed around the time of conception.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study included 1,658 children whose mothers were exposed to PCE-contaminated drinking water and a comparable group of 2,999 children of unexposed mothers. Mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire to gather information on all of their prior births, including the presence of anomalies, residential histories and confounding variables. PCE exposure was estimated using EPANET water distribution system modeling software that incorporated a fate and transport model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Children whose mothers had high exposure levels around the time of conception had an increased risk of congenital anomalies. The adjusted odds ratio of all anomalies combined among children with prenatal exposure in the uppermost quartile was 1.5 (95% CI: 0.9, 2.5). No meaningful increases in the risk were seen for lower exposure levels. Increases were also observed in the risk of neural tube defects (OR: 3.5, 95% CI: 0.8, 14.0) and oral clefts (OR 3.2, 95% CI: 0.7, 15.0) among offspring with any prenatal exposure.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that the risk of certain congenital anomalies is increased among the offspring of women who were exposed to PCE-contaminated drinking water around the time of conception. Because these results are limited by the small number of children with congenital anomalies that were based on maternal reports, a follow-up investigation should be conducted with a larger number of affected children who are identified by independent records.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:14:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8ca68416960c46259831d4dc64bdbb34 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1476-069X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:14:07Z |
| publishDate | 2009-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-8ca68416960c46259831d4dc64bdbb342022-12-22T00:13:26ZengBMCEnvironmental Health1476-069X2009-09-01814410.1186/1476-069X-8-44Prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and the risk of congenital anomalies: a retrospective cohort studyWebster Thomas FVieira Veronica MWinter Michael RGallagher Lisa GJanulewicz Patricia AWeinberg Janice MAschengrau AnnOzonoff David M<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prior animal and human studies of prenatal exposure to solvents including tetrachloroethylene (PCE) have shown increases in the risk of certain congenital anomalies among exposed offspring.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>This retrospective cohort study examined whether PCE contamination of public drinking water supplies in Massachusetts influenced the occurrence of congenital anomalies among children whose mothers were exposed around the time of conception.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study included 1,658 children whose mothers were exposed to PCE-contaminated drinking water and a comparable group of 2,999 children of unexposed mothers. Mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire to gather information on all of their prior births, including the presence of anomalies, residential histories and confounding variables. PCE exposure was estimated using EPANET water distribution system modeling software that incorporated a fate and transport model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Children whose mothers had high exposure levels around the time of conception had an increased risk of congenital anomalies. The adjusted odds ratio of all anomalies combined among children with prenatal exposure in the uppermost quartile was 1.5 (95% CI: 0.9, 2.5). No meaningful increases in the risk were seen for lower exposure levels. Increases were also observed in the risk of neural tube defects (OR: 3.5, 95% CI: 0.8, 14.0) and oral clefts (OR 3.2, 95% CI: 0.7, 15.0) among offspring with any prenatal exposure.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that the risk of certain congenital anomalies is increased among the offspring of women who were exposed to PCE-contaminated drinking water around the time of conception. Because these results are limited by the small number of children with congenital anomalies that were based on maternal reports, a follow-up investigation should be conducted with a larger number of affected children who are identified by independent records.</p>http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/44 |
| spellingShingle | Webster Thomas F Vieira Veronica M Winter Michael R Gallagher Lisa G Janulewicz Patricia A Weinberg Janice M Aschengrau Ann Ozonoff David M Prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and the risk of congenital anomalies: a retrospective cohort study Environmental Health |
| title | Prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and the risk of congenital anomalies: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_full | Prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and the risk of congenital anomalies: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and the risk of congenital anomalies: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and the risk of congenital anomalies: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_short | Prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and the risk of congenital anomalies: a retrospective cohort study |
| title_sort | prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene contaminated drinking water and the risk of congenital anomalies a retrospective cohort study |
| url | http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/44 |
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