Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that are known to induce oxidative stress. There have been several reports about the link between PAH exposure and complications in pregnancy. This cross-sectional study was conducted to: (1) measure the levels of benzo(a)anthracene (BaA), chrysene (Ch), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), and ...

The use of biological therapies for treating autoimmune diseases is increasing. These therapies are sometimes administered to pregnant women as part of a planned therapeutic regimen or to women with unexpected or unplanned pregnancies. The safety of biological therapies in this setting is a major issue. Here, we describe three ...

Ewes were exposed to sewage sludge-fertilised pastures in a study designed investigate pre-conceptual and/or gestational exposure to environmental chemicals. The in-utero impact on fetal thyroid morphology and function at day 110 (of 145) of pregnancy was then determined. Pre-conceptual exposure increased the relative thyroid organ weights in male fetuses. The ...

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and patterns of exposure to antidepressants before, during and after pregnancy in a cohort including all pregnant women in Denmark between 1997 and 2010. We performed a retrospective cohort study including 912 322 pregnancies. Information was retrieved from the Danish ...

The antibiotic clarithromycin has been associated with fetal loss in animals and a study has found a doubling in the frequency of miscarriages among women using clarithromycin in pregnancy. The aim of the study was to investigate whether clarithromycin use in early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for ...

Maternal alcohol use during pregnancy is prevalent, with as many as 12% of pregnant women consuming alcohol. Alcohol intake may vary from an occasional drink, to weekly binge drinking, to chronic alcohol use throughout pregnancy. Whereas there are certain known consequences from fetal alcohol exposure, such as fetal alcohol syndrome, ...

ABSTRACT Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAFs) are man-made chemicals used in many consumer products and have become ubiquitous in the environment. Animal studies and a limited number of human studies have demonstrated developmental effects in offspring exposed to PFAFs in utero but the implications of timing of in utero exposure have not ...

OBJECTIVES: Both, obesity as well as anorexia may be associated with infertility and other complications of pregnancy. Weight loss during pregnancy is therefore considered a risk factor. Weight loss and appetite suppressant are contraindicated during pregnancy, but the unintended exposure is probably not associated with higher risk. Our work was ...

Fetal exposure to parental smoking may lead to developmental adaptations and promote various diseases in later life. This study evaluated the associations of parental smoking during pregnancy with the risk of hypertension in the daughter in adulthood, and assessed whether these associations are explained by birth weight or body weight ...

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an important industrial chemical used as the monomer for polycarbonate plastic and in epoxy resins for food can liners. Worldwide biomonitoring studies consistently find a high prevalence of BPA conjugates in urine (>90%) in amounts consistent with aggregate exposure at levels below 1μg/kg bw/d. The current ...

OBJECTIVE: Conflicting data have led to controversy regarding antidepressant use during pregnancy. The objectives of this study are to i) review the risks of untreated depression and anxiety, ii) review the literature on risks of exposure to antidepressants during pregnancy, iii) discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the different study ...

BACKGROUND: An emerging literature suggests that environmental chemicals may play a role in the development of childhood obesity and metabolic disorders, especially when exposure occurs early in life. OBJECTIVE: Here we assess the association between these health outcomes and exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy as part of a broader ...

Synthetic glucocorticoid (sGC) administration to women threatening preterm delivery increases neonatal survival. Evidence shows that fetal exposure to glucocorticoid levels higher than appropriate for current maturation programs offspring development. We examined fetal sGC multigenerational effects on F1 and F2 female offspring hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) function. At 0.7 gestation, pregnant F0 ...

Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality. However, the mechanisms underlying adverse birth outcomes following prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke remain unknown due, in part, to the absence or unreliability of information regarding maternal cigarette smoke exposure during pregnancy. Our goal was ...

An increased prevalence of vitamin D deficiency has been reported from across the globe including India. Various studies have shown an intrinsic relation between various parameters of maternal and fetal wellbeing with maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy. To look for any association of vitamin D status during pregnancy with ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between maternal preeclampsia resulting in premature delivery and adiposity in the offspring during adolescence. STUDY DESIGN: The 172 study participants were 14 years old and had very low birth weight. We compared height, weight, body mass index (BMI), percent fat, waist circumference, and triceps and ...

OBJECTIVE: This contribution addresses the risk associated with exposure to statins during pregnancy. DESIGN: Multicentre observational prospective controlled study. SETTING: European Network of Teratology Information Services. POPULATION: Pregnant women who contacted one of 11 participating centres, seeking advice about exposure to statins during pregnancy, or to agents known to be ...

Misoprostol during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with a specific malformative pattern (Moebius sequence and limb defects) whose incidence remains unknown. Data originate mostly from illegal use for abortion and are mainly retrospective. The present prospective controlled study analyses outcomes of first trimester misoprostol exposures after medical prescriptions. ...

BACKGROUND: Acrylamide has shown developmental and reproductive toxicity in animals, as well as neurotoxic effects in humans with occupational exposures. Since it is widespread in food and can pass the human placenta, concerns have been raised about potential developmental effects of dietary exposures in humans. OBJECTIVES: To assess associations of ...

Use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) during pregnancy has been associated with higher risk of preterm birth. The Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study network's Surveillance Monitoring for ART Toxicities study is a US-based cohort of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-exposed uninfected children. We evaluated maternal ARV use during pregnancy and the risk of ...

Epigenetics is revealing how "nature is nurtured", with environmental factors such as nutrition, environmental neurotoxicants, and psychological stress influencing DNA expression. In this current opinion paper, we argue that understanding the dynamic interplay between the genome acquired at conception and environmental exposures throughout life requires pregnancy and birth cohorts, and ...

Azoles such as voriconazole are contraindicated during pregnancy because of fetal toxicity.…

Ureaplasma infection of the amniotic cavity is associated with adverse postnatal intestinal outcomes. We tested whether interleukin-1 (IL-1) signaling underlies intestinal pathology following ureaplasma exposure in fetal sheep. Pregnant ewes received intra-amniotic injections of ureaplasma or culture media for controls at 3, 7, and 14 d before preterm delivery at 124 d ...

The putative thyroid-disrupting properties of bisphenol A (BPA) highlight the need for an evaluation of fetal exposure and its consequence on the mother/newborn thyroid functions in models relevant to human. The goals of this study were to characterize in sheep a relevant model for human pregnancy and thyroid physiology, the ...

Antithyroid medications are the preferred therapy for the treatment of Graves' disease during pregnancy. Propylthiouracil (PTU) is favored over methimazole (MMI) due to potential teratogenic concerns with MMI. This study was to determine the teratogenic potential of MMI and PTU using a validated Xenopus tropicalis embryo model. Embryos were exposed ...

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are persistent endocrine disruptors. OCPs cross the placenta; this prenatal exposure has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We investigated associations between prenatal exposure to OCPs and gestational age and birth weight in 600 infants born between 1960 and 1963. The primary OCP was 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDT), its ...

Methylphenidate is a centrally acting sympathomimetic used for the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents and for narcolepsy in adults. Despite the growing use among adult women, no reliable data on the prevalence of use during pregnancy have been published, and safety during pregnancy has not ...

OBJECTIVE: Azathioprine (AZA) is recognized among immunosuppressive medications as relatively safe during pregnancy for women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) requiring aggressive treatment. This pilot study aimed to determine whether SLE therapy during pregnancy was associated with developmental delays in offspring. METHODS: This cohort study included SLE patients with at ...

Objective :  To evaluate whether there is an association between maternal occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and oral clefts in offspring. This is the first human study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and clefts of which the authors are aware. Design :  Case-control study. Setting, Participants :  Data for 1997 ...

Because fetuses are considered significantly more sensitive to various environment toxicants, there is a need for continuous biomonitoring of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs (DL-PCBs) to assess their impact on this susceptible population. The aim of this study was to assess the concentration of PCDD/Fs ...

Objective. We aimed to study the pregnancy outcomes of women exposed to isotretinoin and to identify the factors influencing their decision to request an abortion. Methods. The study prospectively identified 79 women who had been treated for acne with isotretinoin during the periconceptional period, and who were followed up until ...

The period of in utero development is one of the most critical windows during which adverse intrauterine conditions and exposures can influence the growth and development of the fetus as well as the child's future postnatal health and behavior. Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy remains a relatively common but nonetheless ...

The effect of exposure to some air pollutants during pregnancy on embryonic and fetal development has been evaluated by several studies, but it has not been well defined. The main objective of this study was to use a systematic review to evaluate the relationship between air benzene exposure in pregnant ...

Little is known about the extent of antiepileptic drug (AED) use in pregnancy, particularly for newer agents. Our objective was to assess whether AED use has increased among pregnant women in the US, 2001-2007.   We analysed data from the Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program (MEPREP) database, 1 ...

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are increasingly used during pregnancy and lactation, with 1.8-2.8% exposed pregnancies. Given the risks of untreated maternal depression for both mother and child, adequate treatment is essential. If pharmacological treatment with SSRIs is indicated, the fetal and neonatal effects of SSRIs have to be considered, ...

As the primary interface between maternal and fetal circulations, the placenta is subject to a myriad of environmental exposures with the capacity to alter placental function and fetal development. Many of these effects are likely to be mediated by epigenetic ('above DNA') change, which is also in turn regulated by ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: High birth weight (BW) is a risk factor for later obesity. In Norway, mean BW and proportion of large newborns increased from 1989 to 2000 and subsequently decreased to the 1989 level by 2010. The purpose of the study was to explore causes of this temporary increase. METHODS: ...

Cocaine abuse in pregnant women is currently a significant public hygiene problem and is tightly associated with elevated risk for preterm delivery. Placental steroidogenesis especially progesterone production was essential for success and maintenance of pregnancy in humans and rodents. In the present study, we determined the impact of prenatal cocaine ...

In a nationwide study of Serbian births, in 2008, we estimated the influence of maternal prenatal smoking and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on birth outcomes. Using stratified two-stage random cluster sampling, 2,721 women were interviewed in-person (response rates 98.1 %), and 2,613 singleton live births were included. Date of birth, ...

Background: An association between pesticides exposure and cancer has been suggested. Infant leukemia is a rare neoplasm and its association with maternal pesticide exposure has been poorly explored. Objectives: To investigate the association between pesticide exposure during pregnancy and leukemia in children < 2 years of age. Methods: A hospital-based ...

Environmental exposures during the prenatal period, perinatal stages, and postnatal life may contribute to onset and course of Tourette syndrome (TS). Pregnancy-related noxious exposures may be more frequent in pregnancies of children who will develop TS, particularly maternal smoking and prenatal life stressors. Lower birth weight and use of forceps ...

Drug, hormonal, and nutritional exposures in pregnancy can cause birth defects, or have more subtle influences that may affect adult health through epigenetic developmental programming. Characterizing these epigenetic changes may provide valuable insight into the mechanism by which our health is influenced by the environment and provide biomarkers of exposure; ...

We explored the effectiveness, safety, and feasibility of focused ultrasound in terminating undesired pregnancy. A high-intensity focused ultrasound therapeutic unit was employed to terminate early pregnancies in rhesus macaques. B-mode ultrasound incorporated within the system was used to locate and study the gestational sacs of 6 rhesus macaques with gestation ...

OBJECTIVE: Escitalopram (ESC) is considered one of the most effective selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of major depression. However, little is known on its potential risk of inducing major malformations (MMs) and perinatal complications (PCs). Hence, aim of the present study is to provide a comprehensive review of ...

OBJECTIVE: Benzodiazepines (BDZs) safety profiles in pregnancy suggest that the risk of major malformations (MMs) cannot be considered simply as a "class effect". The aim of this paper was to review and update the available literature on the risks of MMs in women exposed to BDZs in the first trimester ...

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the teratogenic potential of statins in women of childbearing age.DATA SOURCES:A PubMed search (1980-September 2012) was performed using the search terms statin and pregnancy, then repeated using statin and teratogenicity. Results were limited to articles published in English reporting on use of statins in humans.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA ...

Antiretroviral therapy suppresses replication of HIV allowing restoration and/or preservation of the immune system. Providing combination antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy can treat maternal HIV infection and/or reduce perinatal HIV transmission. However, providing treatment to pregnant women is challenging due to physiological changes that can alter antiretroviral pharmacokinetics. Suboptimal drug exposure ...

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a rare but potentially life-threatening neonatal condition. Several authors have suggested that late pregnancy exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may increase the risk of PPHN. This association has been investigated in seven published studies that have shown mixed findings based ...

Background: Bisphenol A is widely used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic bottles, food and beverage cans linings, thermal receipts and dental sealants. Animal and human studies suggest that BPA may disrupt thyroid function. Although thyroid hormones play a determinant role in human growth and brain development, no studies have ...

SUMMARY The antibiotic trimethoprim acts as a folate antagonist. Since trophoblasts are very sensitive to drugs that interfere with the folic acid cycle and thereby inhibit DNA synthesis, use of trimethoprim during the first trimester could be associated with miscarriage. A nationwide cohort study including all women in Denmark with ...