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Decreased birthweight among infants born to women with a high dietary intake of fish contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds

Rylander, L LU orcid ; Strömberg, U LU and Hagmar, L LU (1995) In Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 21(5). p.75-368
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to assess reproductive outcomes, especially birthweight, and the consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea, contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds, among women from the Swedish east coast.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cohorts of fishermen's wives from the Swedish east and west coasts were established and linked to the Swedish Medical Birth Register for 1973-1991; 1501 children were born in the eastcoast cohort and 3553 in the westcoast cohort. Comparisons were made with regional populations and between the cohorts. Dietary interviews were made with 69 randomly selected women from the cohorts and 69 referents.

RESULTS: The women interviewed from the east- and westcoast... (More)

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to assess reproductive outcomes, especially birthweight, and the consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea, contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds, among women from the Swedish east coast.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cohorts of fishermen's wives from the Swedish east and west coasts were established and linked to the Swedish Medical Birth Register for 1973-1991; 1501 children were born in the eastcoast cohort and 3553 in the westcoast cohort. Comparisons were made with regional populations and between the cohorts. Dietary interviews were made with 69 randomly selected women from the cohorts and 69 referents.

RESULTS: The women interviewed from the east- and westcoast cohorts ate locally caught fish more than twice as often as their referents. Compared with the regional population, the women in the eastcoast cohort gave birth to an increased number of infants with low birthweights (< 3000 g), whereas the opposite was seen in the westcoast cohort. Infants in the eastcoast cohort had significantly lower birthweights than infants from the westcoast cohort (median 3530 versus 3610 g, P < 0.001). Even after adjustment for potential confounders, eastcoast affiliation showed an increased risk for low birthweight (odds ratio 1.44, 95% confidence interval 1.18-1.76). The effect was more conspicuous for boys (odds ratio 1.95) and heavy smokers (odds ratio 3.00).

CONCLUSIONS: The present data support, but do not prove, an association between a high consumption of contaminated fish from the Baltic Sea and an increased risk for low birthweight.

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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Benzofurans/adverse effects, Birth Weight/drug effects, Cohort Studies, Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated, Female, Fishes, Food Contamination, Humans, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Infant, Newborn, Male, Middle Aged, Oceans and Seas, Polychlorinated Biphenyls/adverse effects, Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins/adverse effects, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Sweden, Water Pollutants, Chemical/adverse effects
in
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
volume
21
issue
5
pages
8 pages
publisher
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
external identifiers
  • pmid:8571093
  • scopus:0028785110
ISSN
0355-3140
DOI
10.5271/sjweh.51
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
d7852b30-5f6b-4eff-ae4c-89848caf5634
date added to LUP
2018-08-27 13:54:04
date last changed
2024-01-15 00:23:20
@article{d7852b30-5f6b-4eff-ae4c-89848caf5634,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to assess reproductive outcomes, especially birthweight, and the consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea, contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds, among women from the Swedish east coast.</p><p>MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cohorts of fishermen's wives from the Swedish east and west coasts were established and linked to the Swedish Medical Birth Register for 1973-1991; 1501 children were born in the eastcoast cohort and 3553 in the westcoast cohort. Comparisons were made with regional populations and between the cohorts. Dietary interviews were made with 69 randomly selected women from the cohorts and 69 referents.</p><p>RESULTS: The women interviewed from the east- and westcoast cohorts ate locally caught fish more than twice as often as their referents. Compared with the regional population, the women in the eastcoast cohort gave birth to an increased number of infants with low birthweights (&lt; 3000 g), whereas the opposite was seen in the westcoast cohort. Infants in the eastcoast cohort had significantly lower birthweights than infants from the westcoast cohort (median 3530 versus 3610 g, P &lt; 0.001). Even after adjustment for potential confounders, eastcoast affiliation showed an increased risk for low birthweight (odds ratio 1.44, 95% confidence interval 1.18-1.76). The effect was more conspicuous for boys (odds ratio 1.95) and heavy smokers (odds ratio 3.00).</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: The present data support, but do not prove, an association between a high consumption of contaminated fish from the Baltic Sea and an increased risk for low birthweight.</p>}},
  author       = {{Rylander, L and Strömberg, U and Hagmar, L}},
  issn         = {{0355-3140}},
  keywords     = {{Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Benzofurans/adverse effects; Birth Weight/drug effects; Cohort Studies; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Female; Fishes; Food Contamination; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Male; Middle Aged; Oceans and Seas; Polychlorinated Biphenyls/adverse effects; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins/adverse effects; Pregnancy; Risk Factors; Sweden; Water Pollutants, Chemical/adverse effects}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{75--368}},
  publisher    = {{Finnish Institute of Occupational Health}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health}},
  title        = {{Decreased birthweight among infants born to women with a high dietary intake of fish contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.51}},
  doi          = {{10.5271/sjweh.51}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{1995}},
}