Maternal Concentrations of Perfluorinated Chemicals and Early Communication Development in British Girls Public
Poteete, Cayla (2015)
Abstract
Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) such as perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorononanoate (PFNA), are synthetic compounds designed for a wide range of industrial and consumer applications. Despite the phase-out of PFOS, PFOA and related PFCs, their indefinite persistence in the environment is a cause for health concerns. While animal studies suggest developmental toxicity, there is limited and inconsistent epidemiological evidence for their effects on development and more specifically, neurodevelopment, in humans. This study utilized data from the large, well-characterized Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) prospective birth cohort to further our understanding of how prenatal exposure to PFCs might affect neurodevelopment. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to assess associations between maternal serum concentrations of PFCs sampled during pregnancy and a summary total communication score and four communication sub-scores measured at 15 months of age in female offspring. Outcome assessment was based on an ALSPAC-adaptation of the MacArthur Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MCDI). None of the PFCs or the summary total PFC exposure were significantly associated with the total communication score (p>0.05). There were some significant positive associations between the PFCs and the summary total PFC exposure and the verbal comprehension, nonverbal communication, and social development sub-scores, suggesting a minimal yet beneficial effect. In addition, any self-reported maternal smoking during the first three months of pregnancy significantly and in general, positively, modified these associations. Other time frames of smoking were not investigated. While many of the results of this study agree with findings of non-association, those that suggest positive, if minimal, associations could be due to chance or residual confounding. More research is needed to determine if there is an association between prenatal exposure to PFCs and early communication development.
Table of Contents
Literature Review/Background……………………………...…………….……………..…1
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………........…11
Methods…………………………………………………………………….………...…..........13
Results…………………………………………………………………………………....…......18
Discussion……….……………………………………………………………...…..…...........20
Conclusions and Recommendations………………………………………...…..…..…..23
References……………………………………………………………………....…...........…..25
Tables……………………………………………………………………...…....….….............35
Appendix…………………………………………………………………...….…...............…41
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