CGPH FACULTY: Brenda Eskenazi
DATE OF PUBLICATION: January 2015
REGION: Latin America
REFERENCE: Mora AM, van Wendel de Joode B, Mergler D, Córdoba L, Cano C, Quesada R, Smith DR, Menezes-Filho JA, Eskenazi B. Maternal blood and hair manganese concentrations, fetal growth, and length of gestation in the ISA cohort in Costa Rica. Environ Res. 2015 Jan;136:47-56. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.011. Epub 2014 Nov 20.
SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: We examined the association of blood and hair Mn concentrations measured at different times during pregnancy with fetal growth among term births and length of gestation in a cohort of 380 mother-infant pairs living near banana plantations aerially sprayed with Mn-containing fungicides in Costa Rica. We used linear regression and generalized additive models to test for linear and nonlinear associations. Mn plays an important role in fetal development, but the extent to which environmental exposures may cause adverse health effects to the developing fetus is not well understood. Among women living near banana plantations in Costa Rica, we did not observe linear or nonlinear associations of Mn concentrations with lowered birth weight or head circumference, as reported in previous studies. However, we did find positive linear associations between maternal hair Mn concentrations during pregnancy and infant chest circumference.
ACCESS: Link to Pubmed