Maternal exposure to sulfur dioxide before and after conception and the risk of hypospadias in offspring.

Abstract

As far as we know, there have been no studies exploring the association between maternal sulfur dioxide (SO2 ) exposure and the risk of hypospadias in offspring. We aimed to evaluate this association during the 3 months before conception and the first trimester. A population-based case-control study was conducted in male infants, consisting of 348 cases of hypospadias and 4023 controls. Maternal exposure to SO2 , particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ≤10 μm (PM10 ), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ) was assessed by averaging the concentrations recorded at all stations in the mother's city of residence. Air pollutants were tested for multicollinearity using variance inflation factor analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by multivariable logistic regression models. SO2 exposure during the 3 months before conception was significantly associated with the risk of hypospadias (highest tertile: OR = 7.40, 95% CI: 3.54-15.62). When focusing on shorter exposure windows, similar associations were observed for SO2 exposure in the first and second month before and the first month after conception. In conclusion, maternal exposure to SO2 during the 3 months before and the first and second months after conception may increase the risk of hypospadias in offspring.

• Authors: Shuang Zhang, Dong-Mei Yue, Jia-Yu Zhang, Yan-Hong Huang, Jing Li, Shu Liu, Yan-Ling Chen, Li-Li Li, Cheng-Zhi Jiang, Zong-Jiao Chen, Yu-Hong Zhao, Qi-Jun Wu
• Journal: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (Ann N Y Acad Sci) Vol. 1502 Issue 1 Pg. 99-109 (10 2021) ISSN: 1749-6632 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 34247395 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2021 New York Academy of Sciences.

Chemical References

• Air Pollutants
• Sulfur Dioxide

Topics

• Air Pollutants
• Air Pollution
• China
• Disease Susceptibility
• Environmental Exposure (adverse effects)
• Female
• Fertilization
• Humans
• Hypospadias (epidemiology, etiology)
• Male
• Maternal Exposure (adverse effects)
• Pregnancy
• Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
• Public Health Surveillance
• Sulfur Dioxide (adverse effects)