Serum Concentrations of Selected Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Pregnant Women and Associations with Birth Outcomes. A Cross-Sectional Study from Southern Malawi

Mphatso Mwapasa (), Sandra Huber, Bertha Magreta Chakhame, Alfred Maluwa, Maria Lisa Odland, Halina Röllin, Augustine Choko, Shanshan Xu and Jon Øyvind Odland
Additional contact information
Mphatso Mwapasa: Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Sandra Huber: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, 9038 Tromsø, Norway
Bertha Magreta Chakhame: Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Alfred Maluwa: Directorate of Research and Outreach, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Thyolo 310106, Malawi
Maria Lisa Odland: Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Halina Röllin: School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
Augustine Choko: Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre 312233, Malawi
Shanshan Xu: Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5009 Bergen, Norway
Jon Øyvind Odland: Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: Pervasive exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) shows associations with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the present study was to examine the determinants of different serum PFAS concentrations in late pregnancy and their relationship with birth outcomes in southern Malawi. The sample included 605 pregnant women with a mean age of 24.8 years and their offspring from three districts in the southern region of Malawi. Six PFAS were measured in serum from third-trimester women. The serum PFAS concentrations were assessed with head circumference, birth length, birth weight, gestational age and ponderal index. Participants living in urban areas had significantly higher serum levels of PFOA, PFNA and SumPFOS, while SumPFHxS concentrations were higher in women from rural settings. High PFOA, PFNA and SumPFHxS concentrations were generally inversely associated with head circumference. Birth length was negatively associated with PFOA and PFNA while SumPFHxS was negatively associated with birth weight. SumPFOS was inversely associated with gestational age. Urban area of residence was the strongest predictor for high PFAS concentrations in the maternal serum and was generally associated with adverse birth outcomes. The results highlight the need to investigate SumPFHxS further as it follows a pattern that is different to similar compounds and cohorts.

Keywords: poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances; birth outcomes; southern Malawi (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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