Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether Serum Concentrations and Depressive Symptomatology in Pregnant African American Women.

Abby D Mutic,Patricia A Brennan,Vicki S Hertzberg,Dana Boyd Barr,Linda A Mccauley,Anne L Dunlop

doi:10.3390/ijerph18073614

Abby D Mutic, Patricia A Brennan + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073614

Copy DOI

Abstract

(1) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were widely produced in the United States until 2004 but remain highly persistent in the environment. The potential for PBDEs to disrupt normal neuroendocrine pathways resulting in depression and other neurological symptoms is largely understudied. This study examined whether PBDE exposure in pregnant women was associated with antenatal depressive symptomatology. (2) Data were collected from 193 African American pregnant women at 8–14 weeks gestation. Serum PBDEs and depressive symptoms were analyzed and a mixture effect was calculated. (3) Urban pregnant African American women in the Southeastern United States had a high risk of depression (27%) compared to the National average. Increased levels of PBDEs were found. BDE-47 and -99 exposures are significantly associated with depressive symptomatology in the pregnant cohort. The weighted body burden estimate of the PBDE mixture was associated with a higher risk of mild to moderate depression using an Edinburgh Depression Scale cutoff score of ≥10 (OR = 2.93; CI 1.18, 7.82). (4) Since antenatal depression may worsen in postpartum, reducing PBDE exposure may have significant clinical implications.

Highlights

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a family of chemicals with a common structure of a diphenyl ether molecule attached to one to ten bromine atoms [1]
Health concerns related to PBDE exposure are becoming more widely acknowledged and will likely continue for years due to slow chemical degradation leading to persistent accumulation in the environment
Our analysis revealed BDE-47, -99, and -100 are present in the serum of pregnant

Summary

Introduction

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a family of chemicals with a common structure of a diphenyl ether molecule attached to one to ten bromine atoms [1]. PBDEs were once added to consumer products and materials to attenuate the risk of fire and to increase the escape time in the event of a fire. A voluntary phase-out of pentaBDEs and octaBDEs began in the United States in 2004 and later, decaBDEs; they remain prevalent in the environment over 10 years later. PBDE chemicals are not covalently bound to materials and leach from consumer products into the environment [2]. They are not biodegraded, and remain persistent and ubiquitous in the environment. The potential for environmental toxicants such as PBDEs to disrupt normal neuroendocrine pathways resulting in depression and other neurological symptoms has

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion