Non-stick chemical exposure tied to small babies

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Exposure of the developing fetus to certain polyfluoroalkyl compounds, which are used in non-stick cookware and for other applications, may reduce birth weight and size, according to a report in the July 31st online issue of Environmental Health Perspectives.

Still, the authors note that the risk conferred by such exposure appears to be small and they advise caution in interpreting the findings until they can be replicated in other groups.

Research in rodents has suggested that exposure to the chemicals perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) harms development, senior author Dr. Lynn R. Goldman, from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, and colleagues note. Whether this holds true in humans, however, was unclear.

To investigate, the researchers tested cord blood samples from 293 pregnant women for PFOA and PFOS and then examined the levels in relation to pregnancy outcomes.

In adjusted analyses, cord blood levels of both chemicals were inversely related to birth weight and head circumference.

Previous reports have shown that these chemicals can alter blood lipid levels, which could adversely affect fetal development, the authors note. However, in the present study, the association between PFOA and PFOS exposure and birth weight or size was independent of cord blood lipid levels.

Further research is needed to verify the findings and better understand if the relationship is causal, the authors conclude.

SOURCE: Environmental Health Perspectives 2007.