Secondary sex ratio in relation to exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls, dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene and methylmercury

ABSTRACT

This study was undertaken to assess the potential impact of maternal exposures to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (DDE) and methylmercury on the secondary sex ratios (the ratio of male to female live births) over a span of 23 years. The study includes prospective data from three Faroese birth cohorts, with a total of 2,152 healthy mother–child dyads recruited between 1986 and 2009. The Faroe Islands is a subarctic fishing community, where pilot whale meat and blubber are part of the traditional marine diet. Exposures were measured in maternal hair, serum or umbilical cord blood. Confounder adjusted logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between maternal exposures and the secondary sex ratio. A doubling in ΣPCB, p,p’-DDE and mercury concentrations were associated with increased odds by 8% (95% CI = 0–16%), 7% (95% CI = 0–14%) and 9% (95% CI = 2–17%), respectively, of giving birth to a boy. In conclusion, maternal exposure to ΣPCB, DDE and methylmercury was associated with a slightly increased secondary sex ratio. The impact of paternal exposures could not be taken into account and deserves attention.

KEYWORDS:

• Contaminants
• DDE
• Faroe islands
• PCB
• methylmercury
• pilot whale
• sex ratio

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (ES06890, ES009797, ES011687 and ES012199), The Faroese Research Council and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency as part of the environmental support programme DANCEA (Danish Cooperation for Environment in the Arctic). We are indebted to staff at the Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, the Faroese Hospital System for recruiting cohort members.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences [ES012199, ES009797, ES011687, ES06890]; The Faroese Research Council; and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency as part of the environmental support programme DANCEA (Danish Cooperation for Environment in the Arctic).