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Changes in perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations in human milk over the course of lactation : A study in Ronneby mother-child cohort

Blomberg, Annelise LU orcid ; Haug, Line S ; Lindh, Christian LU orcid ; Sabaredzovic, Azemira ; Pineda, Daniela LU ; Jakobsson, Kristina and Nielsen, Christel LU orcid (2023) In Environmental Research 219.
Abstract
Background: Little is known about how PFAS concentrations in human milk change over the course of lactation, although this is an important determinant of cumulative infant exposure from breastfeeding.

Objective: To estimate changes in PFAS concentrations in human milk over the course of lactation in a population with a wide range of exposure from background-to high-exposed.

Methods: We measured PFAS concentrations in colostrum and mature milk samples from women in the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort. For each PFAS, we estimated the change in concentration from colostrum collected 3-4 days postpartum to mature milk collected 4-12 weeks postpartum using linear mixed-effects models. We evaluated whether this estimated change... (More)
Background: Little is known about how PFAS concentrations in human milk change over the course of lactation, although this is an important determinant of cumulative infant exposure from breastfeeding.

Objective: To estimate changes in PFAS concentrations in human milk over the course of lactation in a population with a wide range of exposure from background-to high-exposed.

Methods: We measured PFAS concentrations in colostrum and mature milk samples from women in the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort. For each PFAS, we estimated the change in concentration from colostrum collected 3-4 days postpartum to mature milk collected 4-12 weeks postpartum using linear mixed-effects models. We evaluated whether this estimated change varied by quartiles of colostrum concentrations. In a subset of mothers with at least three mature milk samples, we estimated the change in concentration per month over the first eight months of lactation.

Results: Our study included 77 mother-child pairs, of whom 74 had colostrum and initial mature milk samples and 11 had three or more repeated samples. The concentration change from colostrum to mature milk varied by PFAS. While PFOS increased by 21% (95% CI: 8.9, 35), PFOA decreased by 17% (95% CI: -28, -3.5) and PFHxS decreased by 12% (95% CI: -24, 3.3). In addition, PFAS concentrations tended to increase in women with lower colostrum levels, but decreased or remained the same in women with high colostrum concentrations. When we estimated changes over the course of lactation, we found that PFOA concentrations decreased the most (-12% per month; 95% CI: -22, -1.5), whereas PFHxS and PFOS showed small nonsignificant decreases.

Conclusions: Models for cumulative infancy exposure from breastfeeding need to account for differences in concentration trajectories by PFAS and possibly by maternal exposure level. Additional research is needed to evaluate the relative exposure from breastfeeding vs prenatal exposure, especially in highly exposed communities where breastfeeding guidance is urgently needed. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
PFAS, Perfluoroalkyl substances, Breastfeeding, Human exposure assessment, Human milk, Lactation
in
Environmental Research
volume
219
article number
115096
pages
24 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:36529327
  • scopus:85144465937
ISSN
1096-0953
DOI
10.1016/j.envres.2022.115096
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ed6b2d42-4045-46be-a04c-39e920ab9562
date added to LUP
2022-12-20 09:28:48
date last changed
2024-06-27 23:16:53
@article{ed6b2d42-4045-46be-a04c-39e920ab9562,
  abstract     = {{Background: Little is known about how PFAS concentrations in human milk change over the course of lactation, although this is an important determinant of cumulative infant exposure from breastfeeding.<br/><br/>Objective: To estimate changes in PFAS concentrations in human milk over the course of lactation in a population with a wide range of exposure from background-to high-exposed.<br/><br/>Methods: We measured PFAS concentrations in colostrum and mature milk samples from women in the Ronneby Mother-Child Cohort. For each PFAS, we estimated the change in concentration from colostrum collected 3-4 days postpartum to mature milk collected 4-12 weeks postpartum using linear mixed-effects models. We evaluated whether this estimated change varied by quartiles of colostrum concentrations. In a subset of mothers with at least three mature milk samples, we estimated the change in concentration per month over the first eight months of lactation.<br/><br/>Results: Our study included 77 mother-child pairs, of whom 74 had colostrum and initial mature milk samples and 11 had three or more repeated samples. The concentration change from colostrum to mature milk varied by PFAS. While PFOS increased by 21% (95% CI: 8.9, 35), PFOA decreased by 17% (95% CI: -28, -3.5) and PFHxS decreased by 12% (95% CI: -24, 3.3). In addition, PFAS concentrations tended to increase in women with lower colostrum levels, but decreased or remained the same in women with high colostrum concentrations. When we estimated changes over the course of lactation, we found that PFOA concentrations decreased the most (-12% per month; 95% CI: -22, -1.5), whereas PFHxS and PFOS showed small nonsignificant decreases.<br/><br/>Conclusions: Models for cumulative infancy exposure from breastfeeding need to account for differences in concentration trajectories by PFAS and possibly by maternal exposure level. Additional research is needed to evaluate the relative exposure from breastfeeding vs prenatal exposure, especially in highly exposed communities where breastfeeding guidance is urgently needed.}},
  author       = {{Blomberg, Annelise and Haug, Line S and Lindh, Christian and Sabaredzovic, Azemira and Pineda, Daniela and Jakobsson, Kristina and Nielsen, Christel}},
  issn         = {{1096-0953}},
  keywords     = {{PFAS; Perfluoroalkyl substances; Breastfeeding; Human exposure assessment; Human milk; Lactation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Research}},
  title        = {{Changes in perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations in human milk over the course of lactation : A study in Ronneby mother-child cohort}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.115096}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envres.2022.115096}},
  volume       = {{219}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}