TY - JOUR

T1 - Pregnancy Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Associations With Prolactin Concentrations and Breastfeeding in the Odense Child Cohort

AU - Timmermann, Clara Amalie Gade

AU - Andersen, Marianne Skovsager

AU - Budtz-Jorgensen, Esben

AU - Boye, Henriette

AU - Nielsen, Flemming

AU - Jensen, Richard Christian

AU - Bruun, Signe

AU - Husby, Steffen

AU - Grandjean, Philippe

AU - Jensen, Tina Kold

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Context: Human exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with reduced duration of breastfeeding, although not consistently so, and mechanisms by which PFAS might affect breastfeeding are unknown.Objective: To examine the association between early pregnancy serum-PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding termination and to elucidate the potential role of serum-prolactin concentrations in pregnancy.Materials and Methods: Pregnant women from the Odense Child Cohort provided blood samples for analysis of 5 major PFAS (n = 1300) and prolactin concentrations (n = 924).They subsequently provided information about the duration of breastfeeding in questionnaires at 3 and 18 months postpartum, and a subgroup also provided breastfeeding information via weekly cell phone text messages. Associations between serum-PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding termination were analyzed using Cox regressions, while linear regression was used to assess associations between serum-PFAS and prolactin concentrations.Results: Increased serum concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonicacid, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and PFAS were associated with a 16% (95% CI: 4%-30%), 14% (95% CI: 2%-26%), 14% (95% CI: 3%-27%), and 20% (95% CI: 6%-36%), respectively, increased risk of terminating breastfeeding at any given time after childbirth. Serum-PFAS concentrations were not associated with serum-prolactin concentrations.Conclusions: These findings are of public health importance due to the global exposures to PFAS. Because breastfeeding is crucial to promote both child health and maternal health, adverse PFAS effects on the ability to breastfeed may have long-term health consequences.

AB - Context: Human exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with reduced duration of breastfeeding, although not consistently so, and mechanisms by which PFAS might affect breastfeeding are unknown.Objective: To examine the association between early pregnancy serum-PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding termination and to elucidate the potential role of serum-prolactin concentrations in pregnancy.Materials and Methods: Pregnant women from the Odense Child Cohort provided blood samples for analysis of 5 major PFAS (n = 1300) and prolactin concentrations (n = 924).They subsequently provided information about the duration of breastfeeding in questionnaires at 3 and 18 months postpartum, and a subgroup also provided breastfeeding information via weekly cell phone text messages. Associations between serum-PFAS concentrations and breastfeeding termination were analyzed using Cox regressions, while linear regression was used to assess associations between serum-PFAS and prolactin concentrations.Results: Increased serum concentrations of perfluorooctanesulfonicacid, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and PFAS were associated with a 16% (95% CI: 4%-30%), 14% (95% CI: 2%-26%), 14% (95% CI: 3%-27%), and 20% (95% CI: 6%-36%), respectively, increased risk of terminating breastfeeding at any given time after childbirth. Serum-PFAS concentrations were not associated with serum-prolactin concentrations.Conclusions: These findings are of public health importance due to the global exposures to PFAS. Because breastfeeding is crucial to promote both child health and maternal health, adverse PFAS effects on the ability to breastfeed may have long-term health consequences.

KW - breastfeeding

KW - lactation

KW - perfluoroalkyl substances

KW - prolactin

KW - MAMMARY-GLAND DEVELOPMENT

KW - PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID

KW - DURATION

KW - C57BL/6

KW - PFOA

KW - DIFFERENTIATION

KW - ENVIRONMENT

KW - HEALTH

KW - GROWTH

KW - BALB/C

U2 - 10.1210/clinem/dgab638

DO - 10.1210/clinem/dgab638

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34529060

VL - 107

SP - E631-E642

JO - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

JF - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

SN - 0021-972X

IS - 2

ER -