The relationship between maternal perfluoroalkylated substances exposure and low birth weight of offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2021-12, Vol.28 (47), p.67053-67065
• Main Authors: Cao, Tengrui, Qu, Aibin, Li, Zixuan, Wang, Wenjuan, Liu, Ran, Wang, Xue, Nie, Yaxiong, Sun, Suju, Zhang, Xiaolin, Liu, Xuehui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Birth weight; Confidence intervals; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Exposure; Female; Heterogeneity; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Low birth weight; Maternal Exposure; Meta-analysis; Odds Ratio; Offspring; Perfluoro compounds; Perfluoroalkyl & polyfluoroalkyl substances; Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid; Perfluorooctanoic acid; Research Article; Search engines; Systematic review; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15061-4

Some studies have shown that maternal perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) exposure may be associated with low birth weight (LBW) of offspring. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the association between maternal PFASs exposure and LBW in offspring. The researchers searched PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Embase to find all the articles before October 2020. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. Finally, six articles were included for meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis showed no significant correlation between maternal perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposure and LBW of offspring: odds ratio (OR) = 0.90, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.80–1.01, with low heterogeneity ( I 2 = 18.4%, P = 0.289); there was a significant positive correlation between maternal perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure and LBW of offspring (OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.09–1.55) with no heterogeneity ( I 2 = 0.00%, P = 0.570). The grouping analysis of PFOS showed was a significant positive correlation between maternal PFOS exposure and LBW of offspring in American (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.15–1.72). This study provided a systematic review and meta-analysis evidence for the relationship between maternal PFASs exposure and LBW of offspring through a small number of studies. Researchers should conduct further studies between different regions.