Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (
PBDEs) are a class of persistent compounds that have been used as
flame retardants in vehicles, household furnishings, and consumer electronics. This study examined whether concentrations of
PBDEs in maternal serum during pregnancy were associated with infant
birth weight, length, head circumference, and length of gestation. Participants were pregnant women (n = 286) enrolled in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) Study, a longitudinal cohort study of low-income, predominantly Mexican families living in the Salinas Valley, California. Blood samples were collected near the 26th week of pregnancy in 1999-2000, and concentrations of 10
PBDE congeners (BDE-17, -28, -47, -66, -85, -99, -100, -153, -154, and -183) were measured. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the association of
lipid-adjusted, log(10)-transformed
PBDE concentrations and birth outcome. In adjusted analyses, negative associations with
birth weight were seen with
BDE-47 (β = -115 g, 95% confidence interval (CI): -229, -2),
BDE-99 (β = -114 g, 95% CI: -225, -4), and
BDE-100 (β = -122 g, 95% CI: -235, -9). These findings were diminished slightly and were no longer statistically significant when
maternal weight gain was included in the models.
PBDE congeners were not associated with birth length, head circumference, or gestational duration.