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Review
. 2015 Dec;2(4):367-78.
doi: 10.1007/s40572-015-0064-x.

Cumulative Chemical Exposures During Pregnancy and Early Development

Susanna D Mitro  1 , Tyiesha Johnson  2 , Ami R Zota  3
Affiliations
Review

Cumulative Chemical Exposures During Pregnancy and Early Development

Susanna D Mitro et al. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2015 Dec.

Abstract

Industrial and consumer product chemicals are widely used, leading to ubiquitous human exposure to the most common classes. Because these chemicals may affect developmental milestones, exposures in pregnant women and developing fetuses are of particular interest. In this review, we discuss the prevalence of chemical exposures in pregnant women, the chemical class-specific relationships between maternal and fetal exposures, and the major sources of exposures for six chemical classes of concern: phthalates, phenols, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCs). Additionally, we describe the current efforts to characterize cumulative exposures to synthetic chemicals during pregnancy. We conclude by highlighting gaps in the literature and discussing possible applications of the findings to reduce the prevalence of cumulative exposures during pregnancy.

Keywords: Cumulative exposure; Flame retardants; Organochlorine pesticides; Perfluorinated compounds; Phenols; Phthalates; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

Susanna D. Mitro1, Tyiesha Johnson, and Ami R. Zota declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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