Higher PFAS Exposure Associated with Lower Aldosterone in Pregnant Women - the potential missing link with fetoplacental interaction? The Odense Child Cohort.

BACKGROUND

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are endocrine disrupting chemicals that may interfere with steroid hormone synthesis. Aldosterone is an essential steroid hormone during pregnancy and an independent determinant of placental and birth weight.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate associations between PFAS exposure in early pregnancy and 24hour urine (U-) and plasma (P-) aldosterone concentrations in late pregnancy.

METHODS

In 467 pregnant women from Odense Child Cohort, serum concentrations of five PFAS - perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) - were measured at a median gestational week (GW) 12 (25th, 75th percentile: 10, 15). PFAS associations with 24h U- and P- aldosterone measured at a median GW 29 (25th, 75th percentile: 28, 29) were assessed using multiple linear regression models.

RESULTS

A doubling of PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA concentrations was associated with a -4.8 % (95% CI: -8.4%, -1.0%), -5.9% (95% CI: -9.1%, -2.7%), and -6.2% (95% CI: -9.9%, -2.4%) change in 24h U-aldosterone concentrations, respectively. Compared with the lowest exposure tertile, higher tertiles of PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA were associated with lower 24h U-aldosterone concentrations. Significant linear trends across exposure tertiles were observed for PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA. No significant associations were observed between PFAS and P-aldosterone.

CONCLUSION

Higher PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA concentrations in early pregnancy were associated with lower 24h U-aldosterone concentrations in late pregnancy. These findings suggest that altered aldosterone regulation may represent one potential pathway linking PFAS exposure with fetoplacental development.