Biomedical subjects
J Tingelstad
Publications and source records attributed to J Tingelstad.
Development after exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene transplacentally and through human milk.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE), either transplacentally or through breast feeding, affected scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 6 or 12 months of age. DESIGN: Cohort followed from birth to 1 year of age. SETTING: General community. PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer sample of 858 infants, of whom 802 had Bayley scores available at either 6 months or 12 months or both. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Bayley scales and chemical measurements were done independently. Higher transplacental exposure to PCBs was associated with lower psychomotor scores at both 6 and 12 months of age; the difference between the mean scores in the lowest and highest PCB groups was 7 points at 6 months and 8 points at 12 months. Higher transplacental exposure to DDE was associated with higher mental scores at 6 months of age (the difference between the mean scores in the lowest and highest DDE groups was 6 points), but no relationship was seen at 12 months. Exposure to either chemical through breast feeding was apparently unrelated to Bayley scores. CONCLUSIONS: Transplacental exposure to PCBs was associated with lower psychomotor scores. No deleterious effects were associated with breast feeding.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) in human milk: effects on growth, morbidity, and duration of lactation.
We followed 858 children from birth to one year of age to determine whether the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) in breast milk affected their growth or health. Neither chemical showed an adverse effect on weight or frequency of physician visits for various illnesses, although differences were seen between breast-fed and bottle-fed children, with bottle-fed children being heavier and having more frequent gastroenteritis and otitis media. Children of mothers with higher levels of DDE were breast-fed for markedly shorter times, but adjustments for possible confounders and biases did not change the findings. In absence of any apparent effect on the health of the children, we speculate that DDE may be interfering with the mother's ability to lactate, possibly because of its estrogenic properties.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) in human milk: effects of maternal factors and previous lactation.
The authors measured polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) in maternal serum, cord blood, placenta, and serial samples of breast milk from 868 women. Almost all samples of breast milk showed detectable levels of both chemicals. Overall, values for DDE in this study are within the range of those found previously, whereas those for PCBs are somewhat higher. Possible causes of variation in levels were investigated. For DDE, older women, Black women, cigarette smokers, and women who consumed sport fish during pregnancy had higher levels; only age and race showed large effects. For PCBs, older women, women who regularly drink alcohol, and primiparae had higher levels. In addition, both chemicals showed modest variation across occupational groupings. Casual exposure to a PCB spill did not result in chemical levels different from background. In general, women have higher levels in their first lactation and in the earlier samples of a given lactation, and levels decline both with time spent breast-feeding and with number of children nursed. These striking declines are presumably a measure of exposure to the child.