United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Environmental Research
Laboratory
Duluth MN 55804
Research and Development
EPA-600/S3-84-060 June 1984
oEPA Project Summary
Intrauterine Exposure of
Humans to PCBs:
Newborn Effects
Greta Fein, Joseph L Jacobson, Sandra W. Jacobson, and Pamela Schwarz
The effect of low-level chronic expo-
sure to polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs) from consumption of Lake
Michigan fish was assessed in pregnant
women and their newborn offspring.
Low levels of PCBs remain in the human
body for some time and caused, in this
sample, decreases in birth weight, head
circumference, and gestational age of
the newborn. PCBs appeared to be
transmitted to the infants before birth,
through the maternal serum, and after
birth, through breast milk. Behavioral
deficiencies were observed in the infants
exposed to PCBs both in autonomic
immaturity and depressed responsive-
ness.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Environmental Research
Laboratory. Duluth. MN. to announce
key findings of the research project that
is fully documented in a separate report
of the same title (see Project Report
ordering information).
Introduction
Two groups of humans are particularly
at risk from low-level, chronic exposure to
PCBs—pregnant women and their new-
born offspring. Exposure in this study was
limited to consumption of PCB-contam-
inated fish from Lake Michigan. The
sample included 313 infants and their
mothers from three hospitals in Grand
Rapids and Muskegon. The controls were
mothers who reported no consumption of
Lake Michigan fish. The women in the
experimental group had consumed at
least 11.8 Kg of Lake Michigan fish in the
last six years.
Specific relationships examined in the
study were:
1. Quantity of fish consumed and
elevated maternal body burden of
PCBs. Fish consumption calcula-
tions contained a weighting factor
to correct for different PCB content
of different fish. Three measures of
fish consumption were applied—
annual rate of consumption, cumu-
lative consumption, and consump-
tion during pregnancy.
2. PCBs in maternal serum and neo-
natal cord serum. PCBs were deter-
mined by gas chromatography.
3. Three measures of exposure (fish
consumption, maternal serum, cord
serum) and newborn status. New-
born status assessment included
birth weight, crown-heel length,
head circumference, gestational
age (two methods), behavioral
assessment of neonatal function-
ing, and a number of measures of
maternal and infant health. These
are summarized in the model illus-
trated in Figure 1.
Conclusions
Intrauterine exposure to PCBs is most
clearly associated with reduced birth size
and a shorter gestation period. The most
highly exposed infants in this sample
were about 200 to 250 g lighter than the
nonexposed controls, whether exposure
was measured by maternal fish consump-
tion or cord serum PCB levels. Similar
effects were seen for head circumference
and gestational age. All three measures
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decreased in a dose-related fashion with
increasing levels of PCB exposure.
PCB-contaminated fish consumption
also predisposes toward neonatal behav-
ioral deficits, including (1) autonomic
immaturity, as indicated by a greater
propensity to startle, and poor motor,
reflex, and neuromuscular functioning;
and (2) depressed responsiveness, as indi-
cated by a greater number of hypoactive
reflexes and more limited lability of state.
The association between consumption
of contaminated fish and neonatal behav-
ioral deficits was not corroborated by the
cord serum measure of PCB exposure.
This may be due, in part to poor reliability
of the cord serum measure and poor
availability of this measurement.
Maternal
Body Burden
(maternal blood)
Maternal
Health Effects
and Reproductive
Capacity
Figure 1. Model of pre- and postnatal exposure to PCBs by ingestion of contaminated fish.
-ir U S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1984 — 759-015/7720
Greta Fein and Pamela Schwarz are with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
Ml 48109; Joseph L. Jacobson and Sandra W. Jacobson are with Wayne State
University. Detroit. Ml 48202.
Nelson Thomas is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Intrauterine Exposure of Humans to PCBs:
Newborn Effects," (Order No. PB 84-188 887; Cost: $ 11.50, subject to change)
will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield. VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Environmental Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
6201 Congdon Blvd.
Duluth, MN 55804
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
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