The Use of Lower or Higher Than Recommended Doses of Folic Acid Supplements during Pregnancy Is Associated with Child Attentional Dysfunction at 4–5 Years of Age in the INMA Project

We assessed the association between the use of lower- and higher-than-recommended doses of folic acid supplements (FAs) during pregnancy and attentional function in boys and girls at age of 4–5. We analyzed data from 1329 mother-child pairs from the mother-child cohort INfancia y Medio Ambiente Project (INMA) study. Information on FAs use during pregnancy was collected in personal interviews at weeks 12 and 30, and categorized in &lt

Association of Iron Status and Intake During Pregnancy with Neuropsychological Outcomes in Children Aged 7 Years: The Prospective Birth Cohort Infancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Study

Early iron status plays an important role in prenatal neurodevelopment. Iron deficiency and high iron status have been related to alterations in child cognitive development

OP VI – 5 Spatial and temporal variability of personal exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields in children in europe

Background/aim Exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) has rapidly increased and little is known about exposure levels in children. This study aims to describe personal RF-EMF environmental exposure levels from handheld devices and fixed site transmitters in European children and its day-to-day and year-to-year repeatability. Methods Environmental RF-EMF exposure (µW/m 2 ) was measured in 529 children (ages 8–18) in Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Spain using personal portable exposure metres over 3 days in 2014–2016, and repeated in 28 children one year later. Metres captured exposure every 4 s. Activity diaries collected children’s location and use …

Thyroid Function in Early Pregnancy, Child IQ, and Autistic Traits: A Meta-Analysis of Individual Participant Data

Context: Low maternal free T4 (FT4) has been associated with poor child neurodevelopment in some single-center studies. Evidence remains scarce for the potential adverse effects of high FT4 and whether associations differ in countries with different iodine status. Objective: To assess the association of maternal thyroid function in early pregnancy with child neurodevelopment in countries with a different iodine status. Design, Setting, and Participants: Meta-analysis of individual participant data from 9036 mother–child pairs from three prospective population-based birth cohorts: INMA [Infancia y Medio Ambiente (Environment and Childhood project) (Spain)], Generation R (Netherlands), and AL…

Association between trans fatty acid intake and overweight including obesity in 4 to 5-year-old children from the INMA study

Background: Trans fatty acid (TFA) intake has been positively associated with obesity in adults, although the evidence in children is scarce. There is growing evidence that TFA of industrial or natural origin may have different effects. Objectives: We aimed to explore the association between total, industrial, and natural TFA intake and overweight including obesity in 4 to 5-year-old Spanish children. Methods: We cross-sectionally analyzed data of 1744 children aged 4 to 5 from the INMA study, a prospective mother-child cohort study in Spain. We estimated the intake of total, industrial, and natural TFA in grams per day (g/day) using a validated food frequency questionnaire and expressed it…

Vitamin D status during pregnancy and wheezing and asthma during childhood

Background: Maternal vitamin D can have a protective role on child’s respiratory health, but the results from prospective studies are still inconsistent. We examined whether maternal circulating vitamin D levels during pregnancy are associated with wheezing and asthma during childhood in a Spanish birth cohort. Methods: Maternal circulating 25(OH)D3 levels were measured during the first trimester of pregnancy. Information on active wheezing (wheezing episodes plus medication), wheezing patterns (early, late-onset, and persistent wheeze), and physician-diagnosed asthma ever was obtained from parental questionnaires administered from 1 to 7 years in new cohorts(N=1964) and from 1 to 9 years i…

Maternal Perfluoroalkyl Substances, Thyroid Hormones, and DIO Genes: A Spanish Cross-sectional Study

Results of studies on perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and thyroid hormones (THs) are heterogeneous, and the mechanisms underlying the action of PFASs to target THs have not been fully characterized. We examined the relation between first-trimester maternal PFAS and TH levels and the role played by polymorphisms in the iodothyronine deiodinase 1 (DIO1) and 2 (DIO2) genes in this association. Our sample comprised 919 pregnant Spanish women (recruitment = 2003-2008) with measurements of perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3), and fr…

Factors associated with second-hand smoke exposure in non-smoking pregnant women in Spain: self-reported exposure and urinary cotinine levels.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the main sources of and sociodemographic factors associated with second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure, assessed both by questionnaire and by urinary cotinine (UC) levels, in non-smoking pregnant women. We conducted a cross-sectional study in pregnant women from 4 different regions in Spain. A total of 1783 non-smoking pregnant women completed a questionnaire about their previous smoking habit and SHS exposure in their 3rd trimester of pregnancy and provided a urine sample for measuring UC levels. We used logistic regression models to assess the relationship between several sociodemographic variables and some potential sources of SHS exposure. In addition, w…

Air Pollution Exposure During Pregnancy and Symptoms of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder in Children in Europe

Background: Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy may increase attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children, but findings have been inconsistent. We aimed to study this association in a collaborative study of eight European population-based birth/child cohorts, including 29,127 mother-child pairs. Methods: Air pollution concentrations (nitrogen dioxide [NO2] and particulate matter [PM]) were estimated at the birth address by land-use regression models based on monitoring campaigns performed between 2008 and 2011. We extrapolated concentrations back in time to exact pregnancy periods. Teachers or parents assessed ADHD symptoms at 3-10 years of age. We classified …

Maternal Metabolic Health Parameters During Pregnancy in Relation to Early Childhood BMI Trajectories

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the associations between maternal metabolic parameters and early childhood BMI trajectories. Methods Two thousand two hundred fifty-one children born in Spain between 2004 and 2008 were analyzed. Five BMI z score trajectories from birth to age 4 years were identified by using latent class growth analysis. Multinomial regression assessed the associations between maternal metabolic parameters and offspring's BMI trajectories. Results Children in the reference BMI trajectory had average size at birth followed by a slower BMI gain. Maternal prepregnancy obesity was associated with trajectories of accelerated BMI gain departing from either hi…

Knot placement in the Distributed non-linear lag models (DNLM) framework

The INMA INfancia y Medio Ambiente-(Environment and Childhood) project: More than 10 years contributing to environmental and neuropsychological research

Background: In 2003 the INMA—INfancia y Medio Ambiente (Environment and Childhood) project, a Spanish national network of birth cohorts including more than 3500 participants, was set up with the aim to assess the health impacts of pre- and postnatal environmental exposures on children. The project has published more than 60 papers on maternal and environmental factors related to neuropsychological development in children, one of the main research interests within the project. With the present review, we evaluate the evidence provided by the INMA project on this topic and discuss how the data can contribute to cover the challenges that children’s environmental health research will face in th…

Maternal Thyroid Function in Early Pregnancy and Child Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: An Individual-Participant Meta-Analysis

Background: Thyroid hormone is essential for optimal fetal brain development. Evidence suggests that both low and high maternal thyroid hormone availability may have adverse effects on child neurodevelopmental outcomes, but the effect on behavioral problems remains unclear. We studied the association of maternal thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (fT4) concentrations during the first 18 weeks of pregnancy with child attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: A total of 7669 mother-child pairs with data on maternal thyroid function and child ADHD were selected from three prospective population-based birth cohorts: INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA; N = 1073, Spain), Generation…

Inorganic arsenic exposure and neuropsychological development of children of 4-5 years of age living in Spain

This study was funded by grants from Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III-Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (INMA Network G03/176, CB06/02/0041, and FIS-FEDER: PI03/1615, PI04/1436, PI08/1151, PI04/2018, PI04/1509, PI04/1112, PI04/1931, PI05/1079, PI05/1052, PI06/1213, PI06/0867, PI07/0314, PI09/02647, PS09/00090, PI09/02311, MS11/0178, PI13/1944, PI13/2032, PI14/00891, PI16/1288, and PI17/00663). Miguel Servet-FEDER: MSII16/ 00051, CP14/00108 & PI16/00261 (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund “A way to make Europe”), FEDER funds, MS13/00054. Generalitat de Catalunya-CIRIT 1999SGR 00241, JCI2011–09771–MICINN, Generalitat Valenciana (Conselleria de Sanitat048/2010 and 060/…

Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Metabolic Outcomes in Pregnant Women: Evidence from the Spanish INMA Birth Cohorts

BACKGROUND: Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may increase risk for metabolic diseases; however, epidemiologic evidence is lacking at the present time. Pregnancy is a period of enhanced tissue plasticity for the fetus and the mother and may be a critical window of PFAS exposure susceptibility. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the associations between PFAS exposures and metabolic outcomes in pregnant women. METHODS: We analyzed 1,240 pregnant women from the Spanish INMA [Environment and Childhood Project (INfancia y Medio Ambiente)] birth cohort study (recruitment period: 2003-2008) with measured first pregnancy trimester plasma concentrations of four PFASs (in nanograms/milliliter). We u…

Early Life Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and ADHD: A Meta-Analysis of Nine European Population-Based Studies

Introduction: To date, the evidence for an association between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is inconclusive. Objective: We investigated the association between early life exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and ADHD in a collaborative study including nine European population-based studies, encompassing 4,826 mother-child pairs. Methods: Concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were measured in maternal serum/plasma during pregnancy, or in breast milk, with different timing of sample collection in each cohort. We used a validated pharmacokinetic model of pregnancy and lactation to estimate…

Drinking water disinfection by-products during pregnancy and child neuropsychological development in the INMA Spanish cohort study.

Background: Disinfection by-products (DBPs) constitute a complex mixture of prevalent chemicals in drinking water and there is evidence of neurotoxicity for some of them. Objectives: We evaluated the association between estimates of DBP exposure during pregnancy and child neuropsychological outcomes at 1 and 4–5 years of age. Methods: We conducted a population-based mother-child cohort study in Spain with recruitment at first trimester of gestation (INMA Project, 2003–2008). Neuropsychological development was measured at 1 year of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and at 4–5 years with the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Modeled tap water concentrations of trihalome…

Associations of Maternal Cell-Phone Use During Pregnancy With Pregnancy Duration and Fetal Growth in 4 Birth Cohorts

Results from studies evaluating potential effects of prenatal exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields from cell phones on birth outcomes have been inconsistent. Using data on 55,507 pregnant women and their children from Denmark (1996-2002), the Netherlands (2003-2004), Spain (2003-2008), and South Korea (2006-2011), we explored whether maternal cell-phone use was associated with pregnancy duration and fetal growth. On the basis of self-reported number of cell-phone calls per day, exposure was grouped as none, low (referent), intermediate, or high. We examined pregnancy duration (gestational age at birth, preterm/postterm birth), fetal growth (birth weight ratio, small/large size…

Maternal cell phone use during pregnancy and child cognition at age 5 years in 3 birth cohorts

Background: There have been few studies of children's cognitive development in relation to mothers' cell phone use, and most were limited to outcomes at age 3 years or younger. We examined the relationship between maternal cell phone use during pregnancy and cognitive performance in 5-year old children. Methods: This study included data from 3 birth cohorts: the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) (n = 1209), Spanish Environment and Childhood Project (INMA) (n = 1383), and Korean Mothers and Children's Environment Health Study (MOCEH) (n = 497). All cohorts collected information about maternal cell phone use during pregnancy and cognitive performance in children at age 5. We performed linea…

Identifying sensitive windows of exposure to NO2 and fetal growth trajectories in a Spanish population-based birth cohort

Prenatal co-exposure to neurotoxic metals and neurodevelopment in preschool children: The Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project

We sought to determine whether prenatal co-exposure to As, Cd, Hg, Mn, and Pb was associated with impaired neurodevelopment in preschool children from the Spanish Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project, using the placenta as exposure matrix. We measured metal levels in placenta tissue samples randomly selected from five of the seven population-based birth cohorts participating in the INMA Project, collected between 2000 and 2008. Neuropsychological assessment of cognitive and motor function was carried through the use of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) at the age of 4-5years. Data on placental metal levels, MSCA scores, and relevant covariates was available for 302 chil…

Prenatal exposure to lead in Spain: Cord blood levels and associated factors

Abstract Introduction and Objective Lead is a known neurotoxic. Fetuses and infants are very vulnerable to lead exposure, since their blood-brain barrier is not completely formed. Hence, there is an importance for monitoring of blood lead levels prenatally and during early infancy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prenatal exposure to lead and its association with maternal factors in four population based mother–child cohorts in Spain. The present research was carried out within the framework of the INMA project INfancia y Medio Ambiente (Environment and Childhood). Methods A total of 1462 pregnant women were recruited between 2004 and 2008. Lead was analyzed in a sample of cord blo…

Personal exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields in Europe: Is there a generation gap?

Background: Exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) from mobile communication technologies is changing rapidly. To characterize sources and associated variability, we studied the differences and correlations in exposure patterns between children aged 8 to 18 and their parents, over the course of the day, by age, by activity pattern, and for different metrics of exposure. Methods: Using portable RF-EMF measurement devices, we collected simultaneous real-time personal measurements of RF-EMF over 24 to 72 h in 294 parent-child pairs from Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Spain. The devices measured the power flux density (mW/m(2)) in 16 different frequency…

Exposure to ambient air pollution during pregnancy and preterm birth: A Spanish multicenter birth cohort study

Background and objective: Preterm birth is a major determinant of infant mortality and morbidity. Air pollution has been suggested as a risk factor for preterm delivery; however, the scientific evidence on this impact remains inconsistent. We assessed the association between residential exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and preterm birth (gestational age at delivery <37 weeks) in Spain. Methods: This study was based on 2409 pregnant women participating in the INMA birth cohorts in Asturias, Gipuzkoa, Sabadell and Valencia. Ambient levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and benzene were estimated for each woman's residence for each trimester and for the whole pregnancy, using temporally a…

Determinants of self-reported smoking and misclassification during pregnancy, and analysis of optimal cut-off points for urinary cotinine: a cross-sectional study

10 p. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with smoking and misclassification in pregnant women from INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente, Environment and Childhood) project, Spain, and to assess the optimal cut-offs for urinary cotinine (UC) that best distinguish daily and occasional smokers with varying levels of second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure.-- Design: We used logistic regression models to study the relationship between sociodemographic variables and self-reported smoking and misclassification (self-reported non-smokers with UC >50 ng/ml). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to calculate the optimal cut-off point for discriminating smokers. The…

Prenatal air pollution exposure and growth and cardio-metabolic risk in preschoolers

Objectives: We investigated the association between outdoor air pollutants exposure in the first trimester of pregnancy, and growth and cardio-metabolic risk at four years of age, and evaluated the mediating role of birth weight. Methods: We included mother-child pairs (N = 1,724) from the Spanish INMA birth cohort established in 2003-2008. First trimester of pregnancy nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particles (PM2.5) exposure levels were estimated. Height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and lipids were measured at four years of age. Body mass index (BMI) trajectories from birth to four years were identified. Results: Increased PM2.5 exposure in the first trimester of pregnanc…

Urban environment and cognitive and motor function in children from four European birth cohorts

[EN]Background: The urban environment may influence neurodevelopment from conception onwards, but there is no evaluation of the impact of multiple groups of exposures simultaneously. We investigated the association between early-life urban environment and cognitive and motor function in children. Methods: We used data from 5403 mother-child pairs from four population-based birth-cohorts (UK, France, Spain, and Greece). We estimated thirteen urban home exposures during pregnancy and childhood, including: built environment, natural spaces, and air pollution. Verbal, non-verbal, gross motor, and fine motor functions were assessed using validated tests at five years old. We ran adjusted multi-e…

Mediterranean dietary pattern in pregnant women and offspring risk of overweight and abdominal obesity in early childhood: the INMA birth cohort study

Summary Background Animal models have suggested that maternal diet quality may reduce offspring obesity risk regardless of maternal body weight; however, evidence from human studies is scarce. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) during pregnancy and childhood overweight and abdominal obesity risk at 4 years of age. Methods We analysed 1827 mother–child pairs from the Spanish ‘Infancia y Medio Ambiente’ cohort study, recruited between 2003 and 2008. Diet was assessed during pregnancy using a food frequency questionnaire and MD adherence by the relative Mediterranean diet score (rMED). Overweight (including obesity) was…

Second-hand smoke exposure in 4-year-old children in Spain: Sources, associated factors and urinary cotinine

Introduction Second-hand smoke exposure (SHS) in children remains as a major pollution problem, with important consequences for children's health. This study aimed to identify the sources of exposure to SHS among 4-year-old children, comparing self-reports to a urinary biomarker of exposure, and characterize the most important variables related to SHS exposure in this population. Methods 4-year-old children's exposure to SHS was assessed by a parental-reported questionnaire and by urinary cotinine (UC) measurements in 1757 participants from 4 different areas of the Spanish INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente – Environment and Childhood) Project. The questionnaire about SHS included information …

Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances, immune-related outcomes, and lung function in children from a Spanish birth cohort study.

Background: Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has been associated with impaired immune and respiratory health during childhood but the evidence is inconsistent and limited for lung function. We studied the association between prenatal PFASs exposure and immune and respiratory health, including lung function, up to age 7 years in the Spanish INMA birth cohort study. Methods: We assessed four PFASs in maternal plasma samples collected during the 1st trimester of pregnancy (years: 2003-2008): perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA). Mothers reported the occurrence (yes/no) of lower respir…

Maternal Iodine Status During Pregnancy Is Not Consistently Associated with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or Autistic Traits in Children

Background: Severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy can cause intellectual disability, presumably through inadequate placental transfer of maternal thyroid hormone to the fetus. The association between mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency and child neurodevelopmental problems is not well understood. Objectives: We investigated the association of maternal iodine status during pregnancy with child attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autistic traits. Methods: This was a collaborative study of 3 population-based birth cohorts: Generation R (n = 1634), INfancia y Medio Ambiente (n = 1293), and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 2619). Exclusion criteria were…

Association of Maternal Iodine Status With Child IQ: A Meta-Analysis of Individual Participant Data

Abstract Context Although the consequences of severe iodine deficiency are beyond doubt, the effects of mild to moderate iodine deficiency in pregnancy on child neurodevelopment are less well established. Objective To study the association between maternal iodine status during pregnancy and child IQ and identify vulnerable time windows of exposure to suboptimal iodine availability. Design Meta-analysis of individual participant data from three prospective population-based birth cohorts: Generation R (Netherlands), INMA (Spain), and ALSPAC (United Kingdom); pregnant women were enrolled between 2002 and 2006, 2003 and 2008, and 1990 and 1992, respectively. Setting General community. Participa…

Organochlorine Compounds and Ultrasound Measurements of Fetal Growth in the INMA Cohort (Spain)

This study was funded by grants from the EU (European Union): NEWGENERIS FP6-2003- Food-3-A-016320, FP7-ENV-2011 cod 282957, HEALTH.2010.2.4.5-1; and by grants from Spain: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red INMA G03/176, CB06/02/0031, and FIS-FEDER PI03/1615, PI04/1509, PI04/1112, PI04/1931, PI04/2018, PI04/1436, PI05/1079, PI05/1052, PI06/1213, PI07/0314, PI08/1151, PI09/02647, PI09/02311, PI11/01007, PI11/02591, PI11/02038, PI13/1944, PI13/02429, PI14/0891, PI14/1687, and Miguel Servet CP11/00178 and CP13/00054), Conselleria de Sanitat Generalitat Valenciana, Generalitat de Catalunya (CIRIT 1999SGR 00241), Diputación Foral de Guipúzcoa (DFG/004), Departamento de Sanidad y Consumo Gobierno…

Association of Thyroid Function Test Abnormalities and Thyroid Autoimmunity With Preterm Birth A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Preterm birth complicates 5% to 15% of births worldwide, and although it is the most important direct cause of morbidity and mortality in children younger than 5 years, no known risk factors can be identified in the majority of cases. However, overt hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism during pregnancy are well-known risk factors for preterm birth, and as such, the purpose of this study was to assess whether thyroid function test abnormalities and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody positivity were associated with preterm birth. The study conducted a systematic review on the association of thyroid function or autoimmunity with preterm birth published from database inception to March 18, 2018, w…

Hypertensive status and lipoprotein oxidation in an elderly population at high cardiovascular risk.

BACKGROUND: In elderly individuals, hypertension is a main risk factor for cardiovascular disease and oxidative damage is increased. Our aim was to assess the relationship between the degree of in vivo low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) oxidation and the hypertensive status in a elderly population at high cardiovascular risk. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with baseline data from the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) trial, an intervention study directed at testing the efficacy of the Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Participants were 1,130 subjects at high cardiovascular risk aged 55-80. At baseline, in vivo circulating oxLDL was measured, and…

Air Pollution During Pregnancy and Childhood Cognitive and Psychomotor Development: Six European Birth Cohorts

Background: Accumulating evidence from laboratory animal and human studies suggests that air pollution exposure during pregnancy affects cognitive and psychomotor development in childhood. Methods: We analyzed data from 6 European population-based birth cohorts-GENERATI ON R (The Netherlands), DUISBURG (Germany), EDEN (France), GASPII (Italy), RHEA (Greece), and INMA (Spain)-that recruited mother-infant pairs from 1997 to 2008. Air pollution levels-nitrogen oxides (NO2, NOx) in all regions and particulate matter (PM) with diameters of <2.5, <10, and 2.5-10 mu m (PM2.5, PM10, and PMcoarse, respectively) and PM2.5 absorbance in a subgroup-at birth addresses were estimated by land-use regressi…

Associations between air pollution and pediatric eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma: A meta-analysis of European birth cohorts

Background: Uncertainly continues to exist regarding the role of air pollution on pediatric asthma and allergic conditions, especially as air pollution levels have started to decrease in recent decades. Objective: We examined associations of long-term air pollution levels at the home address with pediatric eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma prevalences in five birth cohorts (BIB, EDEN, GASPII, RHEA and INMA) from seven areas in five European countries. Methods: Current eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma were assessed in children aged four (N = 6527) and eight years (N = 2489). A multi-morbidity outcome (≥2 conditions versus none) was also defined. Individual outdoor levels of nitrog…

Prenatal ambient air pollution exposure, infant growth and placental mitochondrial DNA content in the INMA birth cohort

Background: The association between prenatal air pollution exposure and postnatal growth has hardly been explored. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), as a marker of oxidative stress, and growth at birth can play an intermediate role in this association. Objective: In a subset of the Spanish birth cohort INMA we assessed first whether prenatal nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure is associated with infant growth. Secondly, we evaluated whether growth at birth (length and weight) could play a mediating role in this association. Finally, the mediation role of placental mitochondrial DNA content in this association was assessed. Methods: In 336 INMA children, relative placental mtDNA content was measured. L…

Prenatal exposure to PCB-153, p,p'-DDE and birth outcomes in 9000 mother-child pairs: exposure-response relationship and effect modifiers.

Low-level exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl-153 (PCB-153) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p-p′-DDE) can impair fetal growth; however, the exposure–response relationship and effect modifiers of such association are not well established. This study is an extension of an earlier European meta-analysis. Our aim was to explore exposure–response relationship between PCB-153 and p-p′-DDE and birth outcomes; to evaluate whether any no exposure–effect level and susceptible subgroups exist; and to assess the role of maternal gestational weight gain (GWG). We used a pooled dataset of 9377 mother–child pairs enrolled in 14 study populations from 11 European birth cohorts. General additive mode…

Socioeconomic status and exposure to multiple environmental pollutants during pregnancy: evidence for environmental inequity?

Background Inequities in the distribution of environmental exposures may add an extra burden to socially disadvantaged populations, especially when acting during vulnerable periods such as pregnancy and early life, but such inequities may be more complex and uncertain than is generally assumed. We therefore examine whether socioeconomic inequities exist in pregnancy exposures to multiple common environmental contaminants in air, water and food. Methods A Spanish population-based birth cohort study enrolled over 2000 pregnant women between 2004 and 2008. Questionnaires assessed parental education, occupation, country of birth, diet and many other factors. Environmental pollutant assessments …

Prenatal exposure to mercury and longitudinally assessed fetal growth: Relation and effect modifiers.

Background: Prenatal mercury exposure has been related to reductions in anthropometry at birth. Levels of mercury have been reported as being relatively elevated in the Spanish population. Objective: To investigate the relation between prenatal exposure to mercury and fetal growth. Methods: Study subjects were pregnant women and their newborns (n:1867) participating in a population-based birth cohort study set up in four Spanish regions from the INMA Project. Biparietal diameter (BPD), femur length (FL), abdominal circumference (AC), and estimated fetal weight (EFW) were measured by ultrasounds at 12, 20, and 34 weeks of gestation. Size at and growth between these points were assessed by st…

Residential Surrounding Greenspace and Mental Health in Three Spanish Areas

Exposure to greenspace has been related to improved mental health, but the available evidence is limited and findings are heterogeneous across different areas. We aimed to evaluate the associations between residential exposure to greenspace and specific psychopathological and psychosomatic symptoms related to mental health among mothers from a Spanish birth cohort. Our study was based on data from 1171 women participating in two follow-ups of a population-based cohort in Valencia, Sabadell, and Gipuzkoa (2004&ndash

Association of Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution With Thyroid Function During Pregnancy

Key Points Question Is exposure to ambient air pollution in the first trimester associated with thyroid function throughout pregnancy? Findings Among 9931 pregnant women in 4 European cohorts and 1 US cohort, an increase of 5 μg/m3 in exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less was associated with 20% higher odds of hypothyroxinemia. Meaning The findings of this study raise the possibility that exposure to particulate matter might disrupt thyroid function in pregnant women.

Prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals and risk of being born small for gestational age: Pooled analysis of seven European birth cohorts

Background and aims: There is evidence that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have developmental effects at environmental concentrations. We investigated whether some EDCs are associated with the adverse birth outcome Small for Gestational Age (SGA). Methods: We used PCB 153, p,p'-DDE, HCB, PFOS and PFOA measured in maternal, cord blood or breast milk samples of 5446 mother-child pairs (subset of 693 for the perfluorinated compounds) from seven European birth cohorts (1997–2012). SGA infants were those with birth weight below the 10th percentile for the norms defined by gestational age, country and infant's sex. We modelled the association between measured or estimated cord serum EDC co…

Maternal occupational exposure to chemicals and neurocognitive development at 4-5 years of age

Maternal Consumption of Seafood in Pregnancy and Child Neuropsychological Development: A Longitudinal Study Based on a Population With High Consumption Levels

Seafood consumption during pregnancy is thought to be beneficial for child neuropsychological development, but to our knowledge no large cohort studies with high fatty fish consumption have analyzed the association by seafood subtype. We evaluated 1,892 and 1,589 mother-child pairs at the ages of 14 months and 5 years, respectively, in a population-based Spanish birth cohort established during 2004-2008. Bayley and McCarthy scales and the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test were used to assess neuropsychological development. Results from multivariate linear regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and further adjusted for umbilical cord blood mercury or long-chain p…

Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and immune and respiratory outcomes

Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may be associated with impaired immune and respiratory health during childhood but the evidence is scarce and inconsistent. We studied the association between prenatal PFAS exposure and immune and respiratory health up to age 7 years in the Spanish INMA birth cohort (n=1188). We assessed perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) in maternal plasma samples. Mothers reported the occurrence (yes/no) of chest infections, lower respiratory tract infections, wheezing, asthma, and eczema in the previous 12 months at 1.5 and 4 years of the child and at 7 years. A…

Air pollution exposure during pregnancy and childhood autistic traits in four European population-based cohort studies: The ESCAPE Project

Background: Prenatal exposure to air pollutants has been suggested as a possible etiologic factor for the occurrence of autism spectrum disorder. Objectives: We aimed to assess whether prenatal air pollution exposure is associated with childhood autistic traits in the general population. Methods: Ours was a collaborative study of four European population-based birth/child cohorts—CATSS (Sweden), Generation R (the Netherlands), GASPII (Italy), and INMA (Spain). Nitrogen oxides (NO2, NOx) and particulate matter (PM) with diameters of ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), ≤ 10 μm (PM10), and between 2.5 and 10 μm (PMcoarse), and PM2.5 absorbance were estimated for birth addresses by land-use regression models bas…

Association between DNA methylation and ADHD symptoms from birth to school age: a prospective meta-analysis

Funder: Gouvernement du Canada | Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Instituts de Recherche en Santé du Canada); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000024

Maternal and fetal genetic contribution to gestational weight gain

Background: Clinical recommendations to limit gestational weight gain (GWG) imply high GWG is causally related to adverse outcomes in mother or offspring, but GWG is the sum of several inter-related complex phenotypes (maternal fat deposition and vascular expansion, placenta, amniotic fluid and fetal growth). Understanding the genetic contribution to GWG could help clarify the potential effect of its different components on maternal and offspring health. Here we explore the genetic contribution to total, early and late GWG. Participants and methods: A genome-wide association study was used to identify maternal and fetal variants contributing to GWG in up to 10 543 mothers and 16 317 offspri…

Evaluating the neurotoxic effects of lactational exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Spanish children.

Although the brain continues developing in the postnatal period, epidemiological studies on the effects of postnatal exposure to neurotoxic POPs through breast-feeding remain mostly inconclusive. Failure to detect associations between postnatal exposure and health outcomes may stem from the limitations of commonly employed approaches to assess lactational exposure. The aim of the present study was to assess whether lactational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl-153 (PCB-153), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), or hexachlorobenzene (HCB) as estimated with a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model, is associated with decrements in mental and psychomotor development scores of…

Prenatal and postnatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants and attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder: a pooled analysis of seven European birth cohort studies

International audience; Background - Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasing worldwide for reasons largely unknown and environmental chemicals with neurotoxic properties, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), have been proposed to play a role. We investigated the association between prenatal and postnatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl-153 (PCB-153), p-p´-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p-p'-DDE) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and ADHD in childhood. Methods - We pooled seven European birth cohort studies encompassing 4437 mother-child pairs from the general population with concentrations of PCB-153, p-p´-DDE and HCB measured in cord blood, maternal blood o…

Environmental Risk Score of subclinical Psychopathology risk in children

Current knowledge on environmental causation for psychiatric disorders suggests a complex picture with a multitude of social, physical and chemical exposures occurring at different stages of life. ...

Air pollution, residential greenness and metabolic dysfunction during early pregnancy in the infancia y medio ambiente (Inma) cohort

Despite extensive study, the role of air pollution in gestational diabetes remains unclear, and there is limited evidence of the beneficial impact of residential greenness on metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy. We used data from mothers in the Spanish INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Project from 2003–2008. We obtained spatiotemporally resolved estimates of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposures in early pregnancy and estimated residential greenness using satellite-based Normal Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within 100, 300 and 500 m buffers surrounding the mother’s residence. We applied logistic regression models to evaluate associations between each o…

Intrauterine and postnatal exposure to outdoor NO2 and lung function at school age

Lungs are highly vulnerable to permanent harmful effects of environmental factors during their in-utero and early life development. The detrimental effects of air pollution on lung development are well known although studies mainly focused on the postnatal exposure period. We investigated the windows of susceptibility during pregnancy and first 7 postnatal years on the association between nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and lung function at the age of 7 years in the INMA cohort in Spain. We estimated monthly average exposure to NO2 for the prenatal and postnatal period at home address of 1230 children with temporally-adjusted land use regression models. Spirometry was performed at age 7. We estimate…

Association between breastfeeding duration and cognitive development, autistic traits and ADHD symptoms: a multicenter study in Spain

BACKGROUND: Several studies have related longer breastfeeding duration to better intellectual performance in children. By contrast, few studies have investigated the potential protective effects of breastfeeding against behavioral problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, and even fewer on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) traits. METHODS: We examined the association between breastfeeding duration and cognitive development, attention, ADHD symptoms, and autistic traits using data from the INMA Project, a Spanish multicenter birth-cohort study, and taking into account the intensity of breastfeeding. Duration of any, predominant, and exclusive breastfeeding was …

Lifelong Residential Exposure to Green Space and Attention: A Population-based Prospective Study

C.T. is a recipient of a European Respiratory Society Fellowship (RESPIRE2–2015–7251) P.D. is funded by a Ramón y Cajal fellowship (RYC-2012-10995) awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. S.L. is funded by a Miguel Servet-FEDER fellowship (MS15/0025) awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. M.G. is funded by a Miguel Servet-FEDER fellowship (MS13/00054) awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness

Birth Weight and Prenatal Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE): A Meta-analysis within 12 European Birth Cohorts

Abstract: Objectives: Exposure to high concentrations of persistent organochlorines may cause fetal toxicity, but the evidence at low exposure levels is limited. Large studies with substantial exposure contrasts and appropriate exposure assessment are warranted. Within the framework of the EU (European Union) ENRIECO (ENvironmental Health RIsks in European Birth Cohorts) and EU OBELIX (OBesogenic Endocrine disrupting chemicals: LInking prenatal eXposure to the development of obesity later in life) projects, we examined the hypothesis that the combination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) adversely affects birth weight. Methods: We used maternal a…