In-utero arsenic exposure and growth of infants from birth to 6 months of age: a prospective cohort study in rural Bangladesh. Issue 4 (3rd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wai, Kyi Mar; Ser, Ping Han; Ahmad, Sk Akhtar; Yasmin, Rabeya; Ito, Yasunori; Konishi, Shoko; Umezaki, Masahiro; Watanabe, Chiho
• Is Part Of: International journal of environmental health research. Volume 30:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 421
• Page End: 434
• Publication Date: 2020-07-03
• Subjects: Arsenic -- growth -- head circumference -- cohort -- Bangladesh; Environmental health -- Periodicals; 363.7
• DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2019.1597835
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-3123

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Arsenic exposure in postnatal life impacts the growth of children, but little is known about the effect of in-utero arsenic exposure on growth very early in childhood. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between in-utero arsenic exposure and the growth of infants from birth to 6 months of age using monthly follow-up data. A prospective cohort study was conducted in rural areas of Bangladesh with 108 mother-infant pairs. This study identified a negative association between in-utero arsenic exposure and head circumference of infants 1–6 months of age (coefficient = −1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.97, −0.42), and the effect was more pronounced in the earlier ages of 1–3 months (coefficient = −0.88, 95% CI: −1.70, −0.05). Because head circumference is considered as a surrogate of brain size, our findings suggest that in-utero arsenic exposure influences brain growth during an important developmental period.