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Prenatal Exposure to Glyphosate and Its Environmental Degradate, Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA), and Preterm Birth: A Nested Case–Control Study in the PROTECT Cohort (Puerto Rico)

Monica K. Silver, Jennifer Fernandez, Jason Tang, A. Mcdade, Jason Sabino, Z. Rosario, C. V. Vélez Vega, A. Alshawabkeh et al.

Environmental Health Perspectives, 2021

50 citations

Abstract

Background: Glyphosate (GLY) is the most heavily used herbicide in the world. Despite nearly ubiquitous exposure, few studies have examined prenatal GLY exposure and potentially adverse pregnancy outcomes. Preterm birth (PTB) is a risk factor for neonatal mortality and adverse health effects in childhood. Objectives: We examined prenatal exposure to GLY and a highly persistent environmental degradate of GLY, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and odds of PTB in a nested case–control study within the ongoing Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) pregnancy cohort in northern Puerto Rico. Methods: GLY and AMPA in urine samples collected at 18±2 (Visit 1) and 26±2 (Visit 3) wk gestation (53 cases/194 randomly selected controls) were measured using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate associations with PTB (delivery <37wk completed gestation). Results: Detection rates in controls were 77.4% and 77.5% for GLY and 52.8% and 47.7% for AMPA, and geometric means (geometric standard deviations) were 0.44 (2.50) and 0.41 (2.56) μg/L for GLY and 0.25 (3.06) and 0.20 (2.87) μg/L for AMPA, for Visits 1 and 3, respectively. PTB was significantly associated with specific gravity–corrected urinary GLY and AMPA at Visit 3, whereas associations with levels at Visit 1 and the Visits 1–3 average were largely null or inconsistent. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for an interquartile range increase in exposure at…

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