Associations between prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and thyroid hormones in umbilical cord blood

We explored the association between maternal urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites and thyroid hormones in umbilical cord blood in 120 pairs of pregnant women and newborns. Maternal urinary PAH metabolites were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Thyroid hormones were measured using a flow fluorescence assay. The dose-response relationship between PAH metabolites and thyroid hormones was analyzed using the generalized linear model and restricted cubic spline model. Results showed that Sigma OH PAHs in maternal urine had a negative effect on triiodothyronine (T3). Associations between maternal urinary PAH metabolites and thyroid hormones in umbilical cord blood plasma were observed. Prenatal exposure to PAHs could affect neonatal thyroid hormones, thereby disrupting neonatal thyroid function.

Automated summary

We investigated the link between maternal urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites and thyroid hormones in 120 pairs of pregnant women and newborns. PAH metabolites were measured through high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, while thyroid hormones were measured using a flow fluorescence assay. The study found that there was a negative impact of total OH PAHs in maternal urine on triiodothyronine (T3) levels. The results also showed associations between maternal urinary PAH metabolites and thyroid hormones in umbilical cord blood plasma, suggesting that prenatal exposure to PAHs may disrupt neonatal thyroid function.