Maternal Exposures and Chemical Burdens During Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes: The Northern Finland Cohort (NUGEN) Study

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), are environmentally persistent, bioaccumulative compounds that can cross the placenta and may affect fetal development. While several studies have explored the health effects of prenatal POP exposure, data from Northern European populations remain limited. This study aimed to examine the associations of maternal and cord plasma concentrations of POPs, as well as maternal characteristics during pregnancy with birth outcomes (birth weight, birth length, gestational age, ponderal index). Blood plasma concentrations of 13 PCBs and 6 OCPs were measured in mothers (prior to delivery) and in cord from the NUGEN birth cohort (N = 102). Linear regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between lipid-adjusted POPs and birth outcomes, adjusting for maternal characteristics. No associations were observed between maternal or cord POP concentrations and birth outcomes with the exception of a positive association between cord PCB118 and birth weight, and maternal PCB180 and birth weight after adjusting for gestational weight gain. Maternal characteristics including pre-pregnancy BMI, smoking during pregnancy, dietary fish intake, and parity were associated with all birth outcomes. These findings suggest that, in this general population cohort from Finland with relatively low background exposure, maternal sociodemographic and lifestyle factors may play a more prominent role in influencing fetal growth than POP concentrations. Further research in larger samples is warranted to explore potential subtle or congener-specific effects of POPs on early development.