Contaminated sport fish consumption may result in exposure to various reproductive and developmental toxicants, including pesticides and other suspected endocrine disruptors. We investigated the relation between maternal sport fish meals and risk of major birth defects among infants born to members of the New York State (NYS) Angler Cohort between 1986 and 1991 (n=2237 births). Birth defects (n=125 cases) were ascertained from both newborn medical records and the NYS Congenital Malformations Registry. For sport fish meals eaten during pregnancy, the odds ratio (OR) for all major malformations combined was slightly elevated for ⩽1 meal/month (OR=1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.84, 1.89) and ⩾2 meals/month (OR=1.51, CI=0.74, 3.09), with no meals during pregnancy as the reference category. Higher ORs were consistently observed among male offspring compared with females. For ⩾2 meals/month, the risk for males was significantly elevated (males: OR=3.01, CI: 1.2, 7.5; females: OR=0.73, CI: 0.2, 2.4). Exposure during pregnancy and effect modification by infants sex could be important considerations for future studies of birth outcomes associated with endocrine disruptors.

Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular TeratologyVolume 67, Issue 9 p. 595-596 Original Article Advancing birth defects surveillance and reporting methods and the application of surveillance data to epidemiology and health services research Russell S. Kirby, Russell S. Kirby University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294–0022Search for more papers by this authorLowell E. Sever, Lowell E. Sever University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas 77030Search for more papers by this author Russell S. Kirby, Russell S. Kirby University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294–0022Search for more papers by this authorLowell E. Sever, Lowell E. Sever University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas 77030Search for more papers by this author First published: 26 September 2003 https://doi.org/10.1002/bdra.10106Citations: 3Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume67, Issue9Special Issue: 2003 Congenital Malformations Surveillance Report: A Report from the National Birth Defects Prevention NetworkSeptember 2003Pages 595-596 RelatedInformation

Biologic capacity for reproduction, or fecundity, may be threatened by environmental contaminants, especially compounds capable of disrupting endocrine pathways. Telephone interviews that focused on reproductive events were conducted with female members of the New York State Angler Cohort Study who became pregnant between 1991 and 1993 and who reported known time to pregnancy (N = 895; 73%). Consumption of polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated Lake Ontario sportfish and other factors were ascertained in 1991. The authors classified the women as follows: (a) fecund (time to pregnancy less than or equal to 12 cycles; n = 723); (b) having resolved infecundity (time to pregnancy > 12 cycles; n = 81); or (C) having unresolved infecundity (time to pregnancy > 12 cycles without pregnancy; n = 94). Adjusted odds ratios for duration of fish consumption for both resolved and unresolved infecundity were elevated (1.46 and 1.19, respectively), although confidence intervals included unity. Frequency of recent fish consumption was associated with an increased risk for select categories, although confidence intervals included one.

Wildlife studies suggest that consumption of contaminated fish from the Great Lakes may expose humans to polychlorinated biphenyls and persistent chlorinated pesticides. To assess whether time to pregnancy or fecundability is affected, we conducted a telephone survey in 1993 with female members of the New York State Angler Cohort Study who were considering pregnancy between 1991 and 1994 (N = 2,445). Among the 1,234 (50%) women who became pregnant, 895 (73%) had a known time to pregnancy. Upon enrollment into the cohort in 1991, both partners reported duration and frequency of Lake Ontario sport fish consumption. We estimated lifetime exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls from recent consumption and used a discrete-time analog of Cox proportional hazards analysis to estimate conditional fecundability ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for fish consumption among couples with complete exposure data who discontinued birth control to become pregnant (N = 575). Maternal consumption of fish for 3-6 years was associated with reduced fecundability (fecundability ratio = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.59-0.91), as was more than a monthly fish meal in 1991 (fecundability ratio = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.54-0.98). Our findings suggest that maternal but not paternal consumption of contaminated fish may reduce fecundability among couples attempting pregnancy.

The aquatic ecosystems of the Great Lakes are contaminated with a variety of compounds, some of which are considered reproductive toxicants. Few studies of paternal fish consumption and reproductive endpoints have been undertaken and serve as the impetus for study. Standardized telephone interviews were conducted with 2445 female members of the New York State Angler Cohort (82% response) to update reproductive profiles and to ascertain specific information on time-to-pregnancy (TTP). The study sample includes women with a known TTP and paternal fish consumption data (n=785). Conception delay was defined as more than 12 cycles of unprotected intercourse to achieve pregnancy. Paternal fish consumption was assessed by three measures: frequency of Lake Ontario sport fish meals in 1991, numbers of years eating fish, and estimated PCB exposure from fish consumption. Adjusted ORs for number of fish meals, based on logistic regression, ranged from 0.69 to 0.80; from 0.61 to 0.82 for number of years eating fish; and from 0.44 to 1.14 for quartiles of estimated PCB exposure from fish consumption. All confidence intervals included one. These findings suggest that, based on paternal self-reports, Lake Ontario fish consumption does not increase the risk of conception delay.

Sport fish from the Great Lakes are contaminated with halogenated organics, heavy metals, and pesticides, thus serving as a route of exposure for fish-consuming populations. These contaminants are recognized reproductive toxicants in animals; few human studies are available. The purpose of this study was to assess consumption of contaminated fish in relation to time-to-pregnancy (TTP) among women in the New York State Angler Cohort. In 1993, structured telephone interviews were conducted with 2,445 of 2,977 (82%) female cohort members aged 18-40 years who stated upon enrollment in the cohort in 1991 that they were considering pregnancy over the next 3 years. Among the 1,234 women who reported being pregnant, 874 (71%) had a known TTP and comprise the study sample. After descriptive analyses, log transformations of the number of years of fish consumption (duration) and TTP were performed and entered into multiple regression models that also included other covariates. Duration of fish consumption and maternal age accounted for only a small percentage of the explained variance in TTP (R2 = 0.005), even after the analysis was restricted to women who reported eating fish (R2 = 0.006). All beta coefficients were positive. These preliminary findings do not support an adverse effect of contaminated fish consumption on TTP.

We summarize the epidemiologic literature on the effect of life-style factors such as cigarette smoking, alcohol and caffeine consumption, physical exercise, body mass index, and drug use on female infertility. We identified relevant papers through MEDLINE, Index Medicus, and a manual review of reference lists. Risk factors that affect the risk of primary tubal infertility and that were corroborated in two or more studies include use of intrauterine devices (especially the Dalkon Shield) and cigarette smoking. We identified extremes in body size as a risk factor for primary ovulatory infertility. Cocaine, marijuana and alcohol use, exercise, caffeine consumption, and ever use of thyroid medications were possible risk factors for various subtypes of primary infertility. Few risk factors have been assessed or identified for secondary infertility or other less common subtypes, such as cervical or endometriosis-related infertility.

Spontaneous fetal death has been observed among various mammalian species after exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Our exposure-based cohort study assessed the relationship between consumption of PCB-contaminated Lake Ontario sport fish and spontaneous fetal death using 1820 multigravid fertile women from the 1990-1991 New York State Angler Cohort Study. Fish consumption data were obtained from food frequency questionnaires and history of spontaneous fetal death from live birth certificates. Analyses were stratified by number of prior pregnancies and controlled for smoking and maternal age. No significant increases in risk for fetal death were observed across four measures of exposure: a lifetime estimate of PCB exposure based on species-specific PCB levels; the number of years of fish consumption; kilograms of sport fish consumed in 1990-1991; and a lifetime estimate of kilograms eaten. A slight risk reduction was seen for women with two prior pregnancies at the highest level of PCB exposure (odds ratio = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.14-0.92) and for women with three or more prior pregnancies with increasing years of fish consumption (odds ratio = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99). These findings suggest that consumption of PCB-contaminated sport fish does not increase the risk of spontaneous fetal death.

Highly contaminated Lake Ontario sport fish represent an important human dietary exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other toxic contaminants that may disrupt endocrine pathways. New York State Angler Cohort women interviewed by telephone in 1993 provided menstrual cycle length (n = 2,223). Fish consumption at cohort enrollment in 1991 was categorized by duration and frequency and was used to calculate a PCB exposure index. Multiple regression analyses identified significant cycle length reductions with consumption of more than one fish meal per month (1.11 days) and moderate/high estimated PCB index (-1.03 days). Women who consumed contaminated fish for 7 years or more also had shorter cycles (-0.63 days).

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death during post-neonatal life. Mothers whose infants succumb to SIDS are reported to initiate prenatal care later than control mothers. Previous studies have not always controlled for socioeconomic status (SES) of mothers or other potential confounders such as gestational age or birthweight of infants. The purpose of this study was to assess whether timing of prenatal care adjusted for these potential confounders was an independent risk factor for SIDS. SIDS cases (N = 148) were identified from the Upstate New York livebirth cohort for 1974 (N = 132,948) and compared to randomly selected controls (N = 355) who were frequency-matched on maternal age, race, parity and residence and infant's birth date. Data were abstracted from matched vital certificates (97% response), hospital delivery records (89% response) and selected sample of autopsy reports (100% response). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained using unconditional logistic regression. A significant inverse relationship was observed for number of prenatal visits and risk of SIDS; a significant direct relationship was observed between trimester prenatal care initiated and risk of SIDS. The results suggest that timing of prenatal care is important in assessing SIDS risk even after adjusting for potential confounders of early prenatal care utilization.