Abstract | BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In utero exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been associated with decreases in birth weight. We aimed to estimate the proportion of PFOA-attributable low birth weight (LBW) births and associated costs in the US from 2003 to 2014, a period during which there were industry-initiated and regulatory activities aimed at reducing exposure. METHODS: Serum PFOA levels among women 18-49 years were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 2003-2014; birth weight distributions were obtained from the Vital Statistics Natality Birth Data. The exposure-response relationship identified in a previous meta-analysis (18.9g decrease in birth weight per 1ng/mL of PFOA) was applied to quantify PFOA-attributable LBW (reference level of 3.1ng/mL for our base case, 1 and 3.9ng/mL for sensitivity analyses). Hospitalization costs and lost economic productivity were also estimated. RESULTS: Serum PFOA levels remained approximately constant from 2003-2004 (median: 3.3ng/mL) to 2007-2008 (3.5ng/mL), and declined from 2009-2010 (2.8ng/mL) to 2013-2014 (1.6ng/mL). In 2003-2004, an estimated 12,764 LBW cases (4% of total for those years) were potentially preventable if PFOA exposure were reduced to the base case reference level (10,203 cases in 2009-2010 and 1,491 in 2013-2014). The total cost of PFOA-attributable LBW for 2003 through 2014 was estimated at $13.7 billion, with $2.97 billion in 2003-2004, $2.4 billion in 2009-2010 and $347 million in 2013-2014. CONCLUSIONS: Serum PFOA levels began to decline in women of childbearing age in 2009-2010. Declines were of a magnitude expected to meaningfully reduce the estimated incidence of PFOA-attributable LBW and associated costs.
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Authors | Julia Malits, Jan Blustein, Leonardo Trasande, Teresa M Attina |
Journal | International journal of hygiene and environmental health
(Int J Hyg Environ Health)
Vol. 221
Issue 2
Pg. 269-275
(03 2018)
ISSN: 1618-131X [Electronic] Germany |
PMID | 29175300
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Copyright | Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. |
Chemical References |
- Caprylates
- Fluorocarbons
- perfluorooctanoic acid
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Topics |
- Caprylates
(blood, toxicity)
- Costs and Cost Analysis
- Female
- Fluorocarbons
(blood, toxicity)
- Humans
- Infant, Low Birth Weight
- Maternal Exposure
(economics)
- Models, Theoretical
- Pregnancy
- United States
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