Abstract
Background/AimStudies on the effects of moderate prenatal exposure to cadmium (Cd) on birth outcomes have been contradictory and it has been suggested that effects may be partly masked by sex‐specific effects. Our aim was to examine the association of Cd exposure in a large group of pregnant women with birth outcomes in the whole group of participants and by sex.MethodsPregnant women were enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Whole blood samples for singleton pregnancies with a live birth were analysed for Cd (n = 4191). Data collected on the infants included anthropometric variables and gestational age at delivery. Data were analysed using SPSS v18.ResultsThere were adverse associations of maternal blood Cd level with birthweight (unstandardized B coefficient −62.7 g, 95% CI −107.0, −18.4) and crown–heel length (−0.28 cm, 95% CI −0.48, −0.07) in adjusted regression models. On stratification by sex, maternal blood Cd level was adversely associated with birthweight (−87.1 g, 95% CI −144.8, −29.4), head circumference (−0.22 cm, 95% CI −0.39, −0.04), and crown–heel length (−0.44 cm, 95% CI −0.71, −0.18) in girls but not in boys in adjusted regression models.ConclusionIn these pregnant women with moderate prenatal Cd exposure there evidence of adverse associations with birth anthropometry variables in the whole group. However, there was evidence of associations with anthropometric variables in girls that were not evident in boys. Sex‐specific effects require further investigation in large cohorts as a possible contributor to the lack of associations generally found in mixed‐sex studies.
Highlights
Background/Aim: Studies on the effects of moderate prenatal exposure to cadmium (Cd) on birth outcomes have been contradictory and it has been suggested that effects may be partly masked by sex-specific effects
Studies with moderate maternal blood cadmium levels (B-Cd; below a suggested reference value of 1 lg/L11) and adjustment for smoking have generally found no associations with birthweight, birth length, head circumference or preterm delivery,[8,12,13] but other studies have found negative associations with birthweight[14,15,16] (Table S1)
Levels were greater in mothers whose partners smoked (Table S3) (22% greater for non-smoking mothers whose partners smoked and 79% greater if both mother and partner were smokers compared with both non-smokers; P < 0.001)
Summary
Background/Aim: Studies on the effects of moderate prenatal exposure to cadmium (Cd) on birth outcomes have been contradictory and it has been suggested that effects may be partly masked by sex-specific effects. Studies with moderate maternal blood cadmium levels (B-Cd; below a suggested reference value of 1 lg/L11) and adjustment for smoking have generally found no associations with birthweight, birth length, head circumference or preterm delivery,[8,12,13] but other studies have found negative associations with birthweight[14,15,16] (Table S1). The aims of this study were: (1) to evaluate the effect of moderate prenatal exposure to Cd on a range of birth outcomes (birthweight, head circumference, crown–heel length, preterm delivery, and low birthweight) independently of active and passive smoking status in a large cohort of pregnant women, (2) to evaluate sex-specific effects of maternal Cd exposure on these birth outcomes
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