Prenatal exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and behavioral outcomes in early childhood in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohort.

Background: Prenatal exposure to organophosphate esters (OPEs) has been linked to neurotoxic effects in children; however, epidemiological evidence remains inconclusive. We investigated associations of prenatal OPE exposure with child behaviors.

Methods: We analyzed data of 2948 mother-child dyads from 12 prospective cohorts of the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort.

Multi-site study of communities with PFAS-contaminated drinking water: Methods, demographics, and PFAS serum concentrations.

A nationwide cross-sectional study led by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in collaboration with research and community partners, was designed to investigate health outcomes linked to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure among residents of communities with contaminated drinking water. The objective was to describe the study design, methods, participant demographics, and PFAS serum concentrations. From 2019 to 2023, adult (18+) and child (ages 4-17) participants were recruited from communities with past or ongoing PFAS contamination of drinking water across eight sites in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers during pregnancy and autism-related outcomes in the ECHO Cohort.

Background: Organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers (OPEs) have myriad uses in industry and consumer products. Increasing human exposure to OPEs has raised concerns about their potential effects on child neurodevelopment during pregnancy.

Objective: We investigated whether OPE urinary concentrations during pregnancy were associated with child autism-related outcomes.

Prenatal Smoking Exposures and Epigenome-wide Methylation in Newborn Blood.

Background: Maternal sustained smoking during pregnancy is associated with thousands of differentially methylated CpGs in newborns, but impacts of other prenatal tobacco smoking exposures remain unclear.

Objective: To identify differential DNA methylation in newborns from maternal sustained smoking and less studied prenatal smoking exposures (i.e.

Newborn blood DNA methylation and childhood asthma: findings from the ECHO program.

Background: DNA methylation (DNAm) at birth has been linked to childhood asthma in epigenome-wide association studies (EWASs). However, existing EWASs have limited representation of non-European and extremely preterm participants and have not explored sex-specific DNAm differences. This study examined the association between DNAm in newborn blood and subsequent childhood asthma risk in a diverse population.

Prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance exposures and DNA methylation among newborns in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes program.

Gestation is a vulnerable window when exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may impact child development and health. Epigenetic modification, including DNA methylation (DNAm), may be one mechanism linking prenatal PFAS exposure to offspring outcomes. We tested associations between prenatal PFAS and newborn DNAm in 1017 participants from 6 cohorts in the US Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes consortium.

Epigenetic timing effects on child developmental outcomes: a longitudinal meta-regression of findings from the Pregnancy And Childhood Epigenetics Consortium.

Background: DNA methylation (DNAm) is a developmentally dynamic epigenetic process; yet, most epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) have examined DNAm at only one timepoint or without systematic comparisons between timepoints. Thus, it is unclear whether DNAm alterations during certain developmental periods are more informative than others for health outcomes, how persistent epigenetic signals are across time, and whether epigenetic timing effects differ by outcome.

Methods: We applied longitudinal meta-regression models to published meta-analyses from the PACE consortium that examined DNAm at two timepoints-prospectively at birth and cross-sectionally in childhood-in relation to the same child outcome (ADHD symptoms, general psychopathology, sleep duration, BMI, asthma).

Periods of susceptibility for associations between phthalate exposure and preterm birth: Results from a pooled analysis of 16 US cohorts.

Background: Phthalate exposure during pregnancy has been associated with preterm birth, but mechanisms of action may depend on the timing of exposure.

Objective: Investigate critical periods of susceptibility during pregnancy for associations between urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and preterm birth.

Methods: Individual-level data were pooled from 16 US cohorts (N = 6045, n = 539 preterm births).

Neurobehavioral effects of gestational exposure to mixtures of non-persistent endocrine disruptors in preschool-aged children: The environmental influences on child health outcomes (ECHO) program.

Unlabelled: Exposures to phthalates and synthetic phenols are common among expectant mothers in the US. Previous studies on the neurotoxicity of these compounds have primarily assessed the effects of individual compounds on child behavior, but have not assessed potential combined effects of these substances. We assessed associations between prenatal exposure to a mixture of phthalates and phenols with behavioral problems among preschool-age children participating in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcome (ECHO) Program.

Racial and ethnic differences in prenatal exposure to environmental phenols and parabens in the ECHO Cohort.

Background: Research suggests racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting environmental phenols (EPs) in limited populations. However, no studies have investigated racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal EP exposure across the U.S.

Gestational exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and risk of childhood obesity in the environmental influences on child health outcomes consortium.

Introduction: Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are increasing in use as flame retardants and plasticizers and concerns have been raised given their endocrine-disrupting activities and possible obesogenic consequences. However, longitudinal studies on gestational OPE exposure and childhood obesity are scarce. This study examined whether OPE levels in maternal urine during pregnancy were associated with the risk of childhood obesity.

Prenatal black carbon exposure and DNA methylation in umbilical cord blood.

Background/objectives: Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes in childhood. We previously observed that prenatal black carbon (BC) was inversely associated with adiponectin, a hormone secreted by adipocytes, in early childhood. Changes to DNA methylation have been proposed as a potential mediator linking in utero exposures to lasting health impacts.

Differentially methylated regions interrogated for metastable epialleles associate with offspring adiposity.

Assess if cord blood differentially methylated regions (DMRs) representing human metastable epialleles (MEs) associate with offspring adiposity in 588 maternal-infant dyads from the Colorado Health Start Study. DNA methylation was assessed via the Illumina 450K array (~439,500 CpG sites). Offspring adiposity was obtained via air displacement plethysmography.

A data-driven approach to identifying PFAS water sampling priorities in Colorado, United States.

Background: Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of environmentally and biologically persistent chemicals, have been used across many industries since the middle of the 20 century. Some PFAS have been linked to adverse health effects.

Objective: Our objective was to incorporate known and potential PFAS sources, physical characteristics of the environment, and existing PFAS water sampling results into a PFAS risk prediction map that may be used to develop a PFAS water sampling prioritization plan for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).

Advancing Understanding of Chemical Exposures and Maternal-child Health Through the U.S. Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program: A Scoping Review.

Purpose Of Review: Environmental chemical exposures may disrupt child development, with long-lasting health impacts. To date, U.S.

Urinary metabolite concentrations of phthalate and plasticizers in infancy and childhood in the UNC baby connectome project.

Introduction: Existing evidence suggests that exposure to phthalates is higher among younger age groups. However, limited knowledge exists on how phthalate exposure, as well as exposure to replacement plasticizers, di(isononyl) cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH) and di-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate (DEHTP), change from infancy through early childhood.

Methods: Urine samples were collected across the first 5 years of life from typically developing infants and young children enrolled between 2017 and 2020 in the longitudinal UNC Baby Connectome Project.

Associations of Organophosphate Ester Flame Retardant Exposures during Pregnancy with Gestational Duration and Fetal Growth: The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.

Background: Widespread exposure to organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants with potential reproductive toxicity raises concern regarding the impacts of gestational exposure on birth outcomes. Previous studies of prenatal OPE exposure and birth outcomes had limited sample sizes, with inconclusive results.

Objectives: We conducted a collaborative analysis of associations between gestational OPE exposures and adverse birth outcomes and tested whether associations were modified by sex.

Prenatal Exposure to Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (2009-2014) and Vaccine Antibody Titers of Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella in Children Four to Eight Years Old from the Healthy Start Cohort.

Background: Prenatal exposures to certain poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with reduced humoral responses to some childhood immunizations.

Objective: We estimated associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and child antibody titers for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), and varicella after immunization.

Methods: We measured serum antibody titers of 145 children (4-8 y old) enrolled in the Healthy Start cohort in Colorado, whose mothers had PFAS quantified mid-pregnancy (2009-2014).

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Phthalate Exposure and Preterm Birth: A Pooled Study of Sixteen U.S. Cohorts.

Background: Phthalate exposures are ubiquitous during pregnancy and may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in preterm birth.

Objectives: We investigated race and ethnicity in the relationship between biomarkers of phthalate exposure and preterm birth by examining: ) how hypothetical reductions in racial and ethnic disparities in phthalate metabolites might reduce the probability of preterm birth; and ) exposure-response models stratified by race and ethnicity.

Methods: We pooled individual-level data on 6,045 pregnancies from 16 U.