Prenatal Exposure to Cigarette Smoke and Anogenital Distance at 4 Years in the INMA-Asturias Cohort

Abstract

Smoking by women is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery, low birth weight, infertility, and prolonged time to pregnancy. Anogenital distance (AGD) is a sensitive biomarker of prenatal androgen and antiandrogen exposure. We investigated the effect of smoking and passive smoke exposure during pregnancy on anogenital distance in offspring at 4 years in the INMA-Asturias cohort (Spain). Women were interviewed during pregnancy to collect information on tobacco consumption, and anogenital distance was measured in 381 children: anoscrotal distance in boys and anofourchetal distance in girls. We also measured maternal urinary cotinine levels at 32 weeks of pregnancy. We constructed linear regression models to analyze the association between prenatal smoke exposure and anogenital distance and adjusted the models by relevant covariates. Reported prenatal smoke exposure was associated with statistically significant increased anogenital index (AGI), both at week 12 of pregnancy (β = 0.31, 95% confidence interval: 0.00, 0.63) and at week 32 of pregnancy (β = 0.31, 95% confidence interval: 0.00, 0.63) in male children, suggesting altered androgenic signaling.

L-Arginine reverses maternal and pre-pubertal codeine exposure-induced sexual dysfunction via upregulation of androgen receptor gene and NO/cGMP signaling

“…More so, puberty is a sensitive period during which endocrine alterations may result in deleterious and possibly permanent effects on adult male reproductive function [ 3 ]. Although the molecular mechanisms of action of many EDCs are yet unclear, most have been reported to have anti-androgenic or oestrogenic effects [ 4 , 5 ].…”

Cumulative Risk Evaluation of Phthalates Under TSCA

“…Another toxicant exposure to consider in phthalate CRA is smoking. Maternal smoking − has been shown to produce male-specific increases in anogenital distance in offspring in a Spanish cohort in relation to maternal smoking both at 12 and 32 weeks of gestation . Results from these studies provide some direction on what other chemicals to include for phthalate CRA.…”

“…Maternal smoking 65−68 has been shown to produce male-specific increases in anogenital distance in offspring in a Spanish cohort in relation to maternal smoking both at 12 and 32 weeks of gestation. 69 Results from these studies provide some direction on what other chemicals to include for phthalate CRA. In addition to using common biological targets and physiological systems, specific criteria related to exposure and toxicity can also be used to identify other relevant chemical exposures, such as exclusion of substances below a specified exposure level or exclusion of substances for which the point of departure (POD) of the critical effect, that is the basis for setting the RfD, is lower than the POD of the specific effect that is the focus of the mixture risk assessment.…”

Dietary and Antioxidant Vitamins Limit the DNA Damage Mediated by Oxidative Stress in the Mother–Newborn Binomial

“…Smoking is a prominent source of FR [ 94 , 95 ], which have deleterious effects on DNA [ 96 , 97 ], giving rise to 8-OHdG [ 98 ]. Smoking is associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer [ 99 ], and smoking during pregnancy has immediate or midterm effects on the foetus, including preterm pregnancy [ 100 , 101 , 102 ], low birth weight [ 102 ], congenital anomalies [ 103 , 104 ], chronic asthma [ 92 , 105 , 106 , 107 ], bronchiolitis [ 92 , 108 ], and psychiatric abnormalities [ 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 ]. Unfortunately, we could not follow the newborns of smoking mothers to confirm if they suffered from any of these conditions.…”