Maternal Perfluorinated Compound Exposure and Risk of Early Pregnancy Loss: A Nested Case-control Study
By Xin Mi, Shi Qi Lin, Xiao Fen Zhang, Jia Jia Li, Li Jun Pei, Feng Jin, Qi Liao, Li Min Xie, Li Cong Wei, Chan Juan Hao, Ya Wei Zhang, and Wei Li
Biomed Environ Sci
February 28, 2022
DOI: 10.3967/bes2022.026
Early pregnancy loss, defined as a nonviable intrauterine pregnancy occurring before 12 weeks of gestation, is estimated to affect 25% of clinically diagnosed pregnancies. Several demographic, lifestyle, and environmental risk factors have been reported to associate with the risk of early pregnancy loss, yet the causes of most early pregnancy losses remain elusive; thus, further studies are needed. Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are a class of widespread environmental pollutants that can adversely affect human reproductive health. Humans are inevitably exposed to PFCs through diet, water, air and dust. A wealth of epidemiological and toxicological research using a variety of animal models has warned of the persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity of PFCs. For instance, researchers have reported that PFCs can cause fetal growth retardation and abnormal placentation, indicating it is important to study the associations between PFC exposure and early pregnancy loss. However, few studies have examined the effects of PFC exposure, and analyses have been based on only Danish and Swedish populations. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential associations between the exposure to major PFCs during early pregnancy and the risk of early pregnancy loss among a Chinese population.
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