Reproductive Outcomes Among Women Exposed to a Brominated Flame Retardant In Utero

ABSTRACT

The authors studied 194 women exposed to polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) in utero when their mothers consumed products accidentally contaminated in Michigan in 1973. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the effect of in utero PBB exposure on adult pregnancy-related outcomes. Compared to those with the lowest exposure (≤1 ppb), those with mid-range (>1–3.16 ppb) and high (≥3.17 ppb) PBB exposure had increased odds of spontaneous abortion with wide confidence intervals (odds ratio [OR] = 2.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.64–11.79, OR = 4.08, 95% CI = 0.94–17.70; respectively; p for trend = .05). Exposure during infancy to PBB-contaminated breast milk further increased this risk. Time to pregnancy and infertility were not associated with in utero exposure to PBB. Future studies should examine the suggested relationship between spontaneous abortion and other brominated flame retardants.

KEYWORDS:

• brominated flame
• retardant
• fertility
• PBB
• polybrominated flame retardant
• spontaneous abortion

Acknowledgments

Funding for this research was provided by US EPA. (R 825300), NIEHS (R01 ES08341 and R01 ES012014), and by CDC cooperative agreement U37/CCU500392. The authors thank Dr Lorraine Cameron and the staff of the Michigan Department of Community Health and the Michigan Public Health Institute for their assistance.