Maternal exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides and fetal growth restriction: A nested case-control study in the guangxi Zhuang birth cohort.

BACKGROUND: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a major determinant of perinatal morbidity and mortality, with adverse long-term neurocognitive effects in childhood and adulthood. Prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants has been reported to be associated with FGR. Neonicotinoids (NEOs) are extensively used insecticides worldwide and are suggested to have embryonic and developmental neurotoxicity. However, the effects of NEOs exposure on FGR is unknown. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to quantify the single and combined associations of maternal exposure to NEOs and FGR. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study based on the Guangxi Zhuang Birth Cohort, China. A total of 387 with FGR cases and 1096 without- FGR controls were included between 2015 and 2018. Ten NEOs were measured by UPLC-MS from the maternal blood samples were pre-collected in the first trimester. After adjusting for potential confounders, multivariable logistic regressions, weighted quantile sum regression and quantile g-computation were performed for individual and NEOs mixtures. RESULTS: In the individual exposure models, each 1-standard deviation increment of the natural-log in dinotefuran and acetamiprid concentrations were significantly associated with odds ratios of 1.93 (95% CI: 1.69, 2.20) and 1.31 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.59) higher odds of FGR, respectively. However, the FGR risk was negatively associated with thiacloprid, sulfoxaflor, and nitenpyram (OR = 0.23, 95%CI: 0.15, 0.34; OR = 0.48, 95%CI: 0.41, 0.56; OR = 0.86, 95%CI: 0.80, 0.93; respectively). Similar findings were found in the combined exposure analysis. Dinotefuran was the most strongly attributable to increase FGR, while sulfoxaflor and thiacloprid contributed the highest negative weighted on FGR. Furthermore, each quintile increase in all ten NEOs exposures was associated with FGR (OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.54). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that maternal single and combined exposures to NEOs were associated with varying FGR risks. They contribute to the mounting evidence on serum NEOs exposure impact on FGR. However, a replication of these associations in other populations is warranted.

Association of prenatal exposure to bisphenols and birth size in Zhuang ethnic newborns.

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues can affect fetal growth and development. However, epidemiologic findings were inconsistent and there was a lack of study for BPA analogues. We aimed to examine the associations between prenatal exposure to BPA, bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS), and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and birth size. 2023 mother-infant pairs were included in this study. The associations between serum bisphenol levels and birth size were analyzed by multivariate linear regression models. After adjusting for covariates, one log10-unit increase in serum BPA was correlated with a 32.10 g (95% CI: -61.10, -3.10) decrease in birth weight for all infants, and the inverse association was only observed in males when stratified analysis by gender. Additionally, higher BPF concentrations were associated with decreasing birth weight (P for trend = 0.031), ponderal index (P for trend = 0.021), and birth weight Z-scores (P for trend = 0.039) in all infants, and the inverse associations were also only observed in males when stratified analysis by gender. Similarly, higher TBBPA levels were also correlated with decreased birth weight (P for trend = 0.023). However, after gender stratification, higher TBBPA concentrations were associated with a decrease in birth weight (P for trend = 0.007), birth length (P for trend = 0.026), and birth weight Z-scores (P for trend = 0.039) in males. Our data suggested an inverse association of prenatal exposure to BPA, BPF, and TBBPA and birth size, which may be more pronounced in male infants.