Abstract
Food may contain toxicants (from environmental pollution or formed during food preparation). These toxicants may cross the placental barrier and affect the foetus' immune system. The aim of this study was investigated if prenatal exposure to acrylamide, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) affect the childrens immunological health status.
Pregnant women were recruited to the birth cohort BraMat (n=205). The occurrence of common childhood infections and periods of more than 10 days of dry cough, chest tightness or wheeze in the children was assessed by annual questionnaires (n = 195 and 184, respectively). Maternal intake of toxicants was estimated from a validated food frequency questionnaire filled in by the mothers at midterm. The sum of six non-dioxin-like PCBs (PCB 28, 52, 101, 138, 153, 180), and the sum of toxic equivalents of 29 dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs were used. Logistic and linear multivariate regression analyses were performed. Adjustments were made for gender, mode of delivery, Apgar score, breast-feeding, parity, birth season and maternal history of atopy, age, BMI, education and smoking.
No associations between prenatal exposure to acrylamide and the health outcomes were found. At age one year, prenatal exposure to PCBs and dioxins was associated with increased risk of wheeze and exanthema subitum, and increased number of upper respiratory tract infections. Similar results were obtained in preliminary anaylsis for wheeze and upper resiratory track infections at two year of age.
Our findings suggests that prenatal exposure to dioxins and PCBs increase the risk of wheeze and infectious diseases during the first two years of life.
- © 2011 ERS
