ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT00092521 , NCT00092534 , and NCT00092482.

BackgroundRates of preterm birth have been rising over the past several decades. Factors contributing to this trend remain largely unclear, and exposure to environmental contaminants may play a role.ObjectiveWe investigated the relationship between phthalate exposure and preterm birth.MethodsWithin a large Mexican birth cohort study, we compared third-trimester urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations in 30 women who delivered preterm (< 37 weeks of gestation) with those of 30 controls (≥ 37 weeks of gestation).ResultsConcentrations of most of the metabolites were similar to those reported among U.S. females, although in the present study mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP) concentrations were higher and monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) concentrations lower. In a crude comparison before correcting for urinary dilution, geometric mean urinary concentrations were higher for the phthalate metabolites MBP, MBzP, mono(3-carboxylpropyl) phthalate, and four metabolites of di(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate among women who subsequently delivered preterm. These differences remained, but were somewhat lessened, after correction by specific gravity or creatinine. In multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders, elevated odds of having phthalate metabolite concentrations above the median level were found.ConclusionsWe found that phthalate exposure is prevalent among this group of pregnant women in Mexico and that some phthalates may be associated with preterm birth.

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Background: Variations in the incidence of cancer can be influenced by diet and specific lifestyles. In the last years, diet has been evaluated as an important factor in the development of ovarian cancer, even though the results have not been consistent. Dietary factors related to the risk of ovarian cancer in Mexican women were evaluated. Methods: A case-control study in Mexico City was done during 1995–1997 in a social security hospital, evaluating 84 new cases of ovarian cancer and 629 controls. A validated questionnaire with 116 items about the frequency and type of food intake was used. The analysis of nutrients was done with the residual method adjusted for total energy intake and other predictor variables through logistic regression methods. Also, partition models estimated the total caloric intake for other sources. Results: The nutrients negatively associated with ovarian cancer in the highest versus the lowest tertile were retinol (OR 0.52; p for trend = 0.03) and vitamin D (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.23–0.80; p = 0.01; residual model). Additionally, carbohydrates were positively associated (partition model: OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.00–1.15), and tortilla intake did not show an association with ovarian cancer (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.78–1.17). Conclusions: The diet of the Mexican population is rich in carbohydrates; in Mexico corn intake is the main energy source. On the other hand, vitamins such as retinol and vitamin D were shown to be associated with this neoplasm in a protective way; nevertheless, further studies are necessary to allow us to corroborate our results. This is the first attempt in our country that relates the Mexican diet to ovarian cancer.

Supplementation with 2 g/d of fish oil prevented HRV decline related to PM2.5 exposure in the study population.