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- Title
DDT and DDE exposure in mothers and time to pregnancy in daughters.
- Authors
Cohn, Barbara A; Cirillo, Piera M; Wolff, Mary S; Schwingl, Pamela J; Cohen, Richard D; Sholtz, Robert I; Ferrara, Assiamira; Christianson, Roberta E; van den Berg, Barbara J; Siiteri, Pentti K
- Abstract
Reproductive-tract anomalies after administration of the potent oestrogen, diethylstilboestrol, in pregnant women raised concerns about the reproductive effects of exposure to weakly oestrogenic environmental contaminants such as bis[4-chlorophenyl]-1,1,1-trichloroethane (p,p'-DDT) or its metabolites, such as bis[4-chlorophenyl]-1,1-dichloroethene (p,p'-DDE). We measured p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE in preserved maternal serum samples drawn 1-3 days after delivery between 1960 and 1963. We recorded time to pregnancy in 289 eldest daughters 28-31 years later. Daughters' probability of pregnancy fell by 32% per 10 microg/L p,p'-DDT in maternal serum (95% CI 11-48). By contrast, the probability of pregnancy increased 16% per 10 microg/L p,p'-DDE (6-27). The decreased fecundability associated with prenatal p,p'-DDT remains unexplained. We speculate that the antiandrogenic activity of p,p'-DDE may mitigate harmful androgen effects on the ovary during gestation or early life.
- Publication
Lancet (London, England), 2003, Vol 361, Issue 9376, p2205
- ISSN
1474-547X
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1016/S0140-6736(03)13776-2