Citation

Small CM, Murray D, Terrell ML, Marcus M. Arch. Environ. Occup. Health 2011; 66(4): 201-208.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health , Emory University , Atlanta , Georgia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/19338244.2010.539640

PMID

22014192

Abstract

The authors studied 194 women exposed to polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) in utero when their mothers consumed products accidentally contaminated in Michigan in 1973. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the effect of in utero PBB exposure on adult pregnancy-related outcomes. Compared to those with the lowest exposure (≤1 ppb), those with mid-range (>1-3.16 ppb) and high (≥3.17 ppb) PBB exposure had increased odds of spontaneous abortion with wide confidence intervals (odds ratio [OR] = 2.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.64-11.79, OR = 4.08, 95% CI = 0.94-17.70; respectively; p for trend = .05). Exposure during infancy to PBB-contaminated breast milk further increased this risk. Time to pregnancy and infertility were not associated with in utero exposure to PBB. Future studies should examine the suggested relationship between spontaneous abortion and other brominated flame retardants.

Language: en