Headlines - Exposure of Pregnant Women to Pollutants

For the first time, Santé publique France has studied the exposure of pregnant women to several environmental pollutants in France as part of the ELFE cohort (French Longitudinal Study from Early Childhood). The study aims to measure exposure levels to environmental pollutants and analyze their temporal and geographic variation, compared to previous analyses conducted in France or abroad.

1/ Six families of organic pollutants were investigated: bisphenol A, phthalates, pesticides, dioxins, furans, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), flame retardants, and perfluorinated compounds. The study results show the presence of pyrethroids (pesticides found, for example, in anti-lice, anti-flea, and insecticide products) and phthalates (plastics, cosmetics) in 100% of the pregnant women studied, and bisphenol A (plastics, packaging) present at quantifiable levels in 74% of them. For certain substances, the measured concentrations are lower than those previously observed in French and international studies. This suggests that the regulations put in place (atrazine, dioxins, furans) and reductions in use linked to industrial developments (certain phthalates and organophosphorus pesticides) may have a beneficial effect on exposure to organic pollutants.

Pregnant women in France are more exposed to pyrethroids and PCBs (insulating substances) than in other countries such as the United States. These differences, already observed in the general population in the ENNS study (National Nutrition and Health Survey), could be partly explained by differences in lifestyles and regulations between these countries. One of the main sources of exposure to organic pollutants is food and its packaging (bottled water, canned goods, etc.). The exposure pathways identified in this study also include tobacco use during pregnancy, the use of hygiene products (cosmetics, cleaning products), household use of pesticides (flea treatments, lice treatments, insecticides), and exposure via indoor air (vinyl flooring, paint).

2/ Inorganic compounds include 13 metals and metalloids present in all pregnant women. For lead and mercury, a decrease in exposure levels has been observed in France, likely due to the implementation of strict regulations (limiting emissions, banning leaded gasoline, etc.). French pregnant women, however, have higher levels of total arsenic and mercury than American and Canadian women. This difference is also observed in the general population (2006-2007 National Nutrition and Health Survey) and may be explained by the higher consumption of seafood among French women. The main routes of exposure to metals and metalloids identified in this study are tobacco and diet. Tobacco use is also implicated in exposure to five of these metals and metalloids (antimony, chromium, cobalt, nickel, vanadium).