Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33038367›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental research2021

PFAS concentration during pregnancy in relation to cardiometabolic health and birth outcomes.

Hannah Gardener, Qi Sun, Philippe Grandjean

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
6.2field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 90 citations in OpenAlex.

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  7. Combined Effects of PFAS and Metals on Cognitive Function.Environments (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Hannah GardenerUniversity of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. Electronic address: hgardener@med.miami.edu.
Qi SunHarvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA.
Philippe GrandjeanHarvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Harvard University · USUniversity of Miami · US

Funding

Sources, Transport, Exposure & Effects of PFAS (STEEP) Center - RENEWALP42ES027706 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND · PI Harrison Dekker · 2017 to 2026
$18.9M
Environmental Obesogens and Weight Change in the POUNDS LOST TrialR01ES022981 · NIEHS · HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH · PI SUN, QI · 2014 to 2024
$4.7M
Glucose Metabolism in Adults Prenatally Exposed to Diabetogenic PollutantsR01ES021477 · NIEHS · HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH · PI GRANDJEAN, PHILIPPE ADAM · 2013 to 2017
$3.0M
NIEHS NIH HHS P42 ES027706NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES021477NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES022981
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPoly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants with pervasive exposure and suspected associations with metabolic abnormalities and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between serum-PFAS concentrations measured in late pregnancy with relevant outcomes.

methodsThe study sample included 433 pregnant women enrolled in the Vanguard Pilot Study of the National Children's Study. Six PFAS were measured in primarily third trimester serum, as well as fasting insulin, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. The PFAS were examined in quartiles in relation to serum biomarkers, gestational age at birth and birth weight standardized for gestational age using multivariable-adjusted regression models.

resultsOver 98% of the study population had detectable concentrations of four of the PFAS, and concentrations varied by race/ethnicity. Total cholesterol was positively associated with PFDA, PFNA, and PFOS, and triglycerides with PFDA, PFNA, PFOS, and PFOA, but PFAS were not associated with fasting insulin in adjusted models. Only PFNA was associated with an increased odds of birth at <37 weeks gestation. PFAS were generally not associated with birth weight, though PFHxS was associated with the first quartile of birth weight among males only.

conclusionsThis study of pregnant U.S. women supports the ubiquitous exposure to PFAS and positive associations between PFAS exposure with serum-lipid concentrations. PFAS were largely unassociated with gestational age at birth and birth weight, though PFNA was associated with preterm birth. The results support the vulnerability to PFAS exposure of pregnancy.

Indexed as

Alkanesulfonic AcidsCardiovascular DiseasesEnvironmental PollutantsFluorocarbonsPremature BirthChildFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornMalePilot ProjectsPregnancyAlkanesulfonic AcidsEnvironmental PollutantsFluorocarbonsBirth weightCholesterolInsulinPregnancyTriglycerides

Identifiers

PMID33038367
PMCPMC7736328
OpenAlexW3092121945

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.