Exposure to organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides, perfluoroalkyl substances, and polychlorinated biphenyls in pregnancy and the association with impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus: The MIREC Study

Abstract

We did not find consistent evidence for any positive associations between the chemicals we examined and GDM or IGT during pregnancy. We observed statistical evidence of inverse relationships between urine concentrations of DMP and DMTP with GDM. We cannot rule out the influence of residual confounding due to unmeasured protective factors, such as nutritional benefits from fruit and vegetable consumption, also associated with pesticide exposure, on the observed inverse associations between maternal OP pesticide metabolites and GDM. These findings require further investigation.

Gestational diabetes and offspring birth size at elevated environmental pollutant exposures

“…Maternal serum concentrations of OCs in this cohort are higher than those reported in a more recent Faroese cohort (Karlsen et al 2016) and in recent pregnancy cohorts in Canada and Europe (Casas et al 2015; Shapiro et al 2016; Vafeiadi et al 2014). The maternal serum concentrations of PFASs are comparable to those reported in Europe and North America though the mixture profiles vary among populations (Casas et al 2015; Shapiro et al 2016; Zhang et al 2015).…”

“…The maternal serum concentrations of PFASs are comparable to those reported in Europe and North America though the mixture profiles vary among populations (Casas et al 2015; Shapiro et al 2016; Zhang et al 2015). PFOS and PFOA have been widely used in the past 60 years in consumer products and industrial applications due to their oil and water repellent properties (Grandjean and Clapp 2014), and while PFOS exposure has decreased in the past decade, exposure to other PFASs (e.g., PFNA and PFHxS) has emerged (Kato et al 2011; Oulhote et al 2016).…”

“…However, no association with GDM was seen in Canadian and Greek pregnant women at lower DDE levels (Shapiro et al 2016; Vafeiadi et al 2016). Two studies in Canada and US reported no association between PCB concentrations and GDM in line with our findings (Jaacks et al 2016; Shapiro et al 2016), but serum PCB concentrations were associated with increased odds of GDM in one study in Greece (Vafeiadi et al 2016).…”

“…However, no association with GDM was seen in Canadian and Greek pregnant women at lower DDE levels (Shapiro et al 2016; Vafeiadi et al 2016). Two studies in Canada and US reported no association between PCB concentrations and GDM in line with our findings (Jaacks et al 2016; Shapiro et al 2016), but serum PCB concentrations were associated with increased odds of GDM in one study in Greece (Vafeiadi et al 2016). In our study, the association between OC exposure and GDM persisted in multi-pollutant adjusted SEMs, and our findings overall therefore support an association with increased GDM risk, in agreement with the OC associations with the risk of type 2 diabetes reported in studies of adults (Lee et al 2014; Kuo et al 2013; Magliano et al 2014; Taylor et al 2013).…”

“…Exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as organochlorine compounds (OCs) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and exposures to metals, such as mercury, have been associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes (reviewed in Lee et al 2014; Kuo et al 2013; Magliano et al 2014; Taylor et al 2013). However, only a few previous studies, with inconclusive findings, have specifically focused on risk of GDM (Jaacks et al 2016; Peng et al 2015; Shapiro et al 2015 and 2016; Smarr et al 2016; Vafeiadi et al 2016; Zhang et al 2015). …”