We examined the relationships between pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index (BMI), pregnancy out... more We examined the relationships between pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index (BMI), pregnancy outcomes and biochemical markers. This study was conducted as a cross-sectional analysis. Korean women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy were recruited at two hospitals in the metropolitan Seoul area. Pre-pregnancy BMI was categorized in four groups according to the Asia-Pacific standard. Fasting blood samples were obtained and analyzed for serum levels of homocysteine, folate and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Concentrations of fetal fibronectin were assessed in the cervix and vagina, and cervical length was measured. Obese subjects had a lower education level and a lower income level than subjects of normal weight. The level of maternal stress was positively associated with pre-pregnancy BMI. Normal weight subjects were more likely to eat breakfast and consume meals of appropriate size than the rest of our sample. In overweight and obese subjects, weight gai...
The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 2009
This study was undertaken to evaluate whether uterine artery notch is associated with placental e... more This study was undertaken to evaluate whether uterine artery notch is associated with placental expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), and Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor (Lox) in pregnant women. Uterine artery Doppler was performed in 30 pregnant women divided into two groups with or without the presence of uterine artery notches. After delivery, placental expression of eNOS, Hsp70, and Lox were evaluated with western blot analysis. Higher levels of placental eNOS (p = 0.02) and Hsp70 (p = 0.001) were expressed in the group with uterine artery notch compared with the group without uterine artery notch. There was no significant difference for placental Lox expression between group with uterine artery notch and without uterine artery notch (p = 0.17). Our results suggest that uterine artery notch is associated with increased placental expression of eNOS and Hsp in pregnant women.
Nitric oxide is produced enzymatically by the nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which converts L-argin... more Nitric oxide is produced enzymatically by the nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which converts L-arginine in the presence of oxygen to L-citrulline and NO. Moreover, it has been reported that asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) acts as is an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial NOS (eNOS) by competing with the enzyme for L-arginine. In this study, we measured L-arginine and ADMA in normal and preeclamptic women, and also investigated the association between the Glu298Asp eNOS gene polymorphism and preeclampsia. Finally, we assessed eNOS expression levels in the placentas of both normal and preeclamptic patients, using Western blot and immunohistochemistry. L-arginine levels were found to be significantly lower in the preeclamptic women than in the normal pregnant women (p=0.02) but there were no significant differences in ADMA levels between the normal and preeclamptic women. We also determined there to be no association between the Glu298Asp eNOS gene and preeclampsia. With regard to placental eNOS expression, we detected a lower degree of eNOS expression in the preeclamptic syncytiotrophoblasts than in the normal syncytiotrophoblasts. We suggest that reduced L-arginine levels, rather than increased ADMA levels, contribute to the development of preeclampsia, and also that decreased placental eNOS expression constitutes a characteristic finding in preeclamptic placentas.
Objective. Susceptibility of target populations to air pollution is an important issue, because a... more Objective. Susceptibility of target populations to air pollution is an important issue, because air pollution policies and standards should be based on the susceptibilities of those at particular risk. To evaluate which age group is more susceptible to the adverse health effects of air pollution, we compared the effects of air pollution on mortality among postneonates, those aged 2 to 64 years, and those over 65 years of age. Design. Daily counts of total and respiratory death along with daily levels of meteorological variables and air pollutants were analyzed using generalized additive Poisson regression. The relative risks (RR) of mortality for interquartile changes of the levels of particulate matter <10 μm (PM10) were calculated on the same day. Results. For postneonates, the RR of total mortality for an interquartile change (42.9 μg/m3) in PM10 (RR: 1.142; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.096–1.190) was greatest among age groups. Next were the elderly over 65 years of age (RR...
Objectives-Oxidative DNA damage has been implicated in carcinogenesis. The DNA damage can be asse... more Objectives-Oxidative DNA damage has been implicated in carcinogenesis. The DNA damage can be assessed from the urinary excretion of the DNA-repair product 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG). The factors were investigated that influenced the excretion of urinary 8-OH-dG in 78 firefighters. Methods-53 Out of 78 firefighters were exposed to fire within 5 days of the study and 25 were not. 8-OH-dG was measured by ELISA and the distribution of the genotypes of CYP1A1, CYP2E1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 was measured by polymerase chain reaction. Results-The homozygous wild type frequencies of CYP1A1 MspI, CYP1A1 ileval, CYP2E1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 were 31.5%, 56.2%, 60.3%, 50.7%, and 53.4%, respectively. The geometric mean of urinary 8-OH-dG was 14.1 ng/mg creatinine in more active firefighters and 12.3 ng/mg creatinine in non-exposed and less active subjects. Significantly increased concentrations of urinary 8-OH-dG were found to be associated with cigarette smoking, and 14% of the variation of 8-OH-dG was explained by cigarettes smoked per day. The CYP1A1 MspI, CYP1A1 ile-val, GSTM1, and GSTT1 genetic polymorphisms were not found to be significantly associated with the urinary excretion of 8-OH-dG. However, the subjects carrying the CYP2E1 mutant type excreted higher concentrations of 8-OH-dG and there was a marginally significant interaction of GSTT1 with firefighting activity. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that smoking was the strongest predictor of excretion of 8-OH-dG. Age, body mass index, and firefighting activity were not significant predictive factors for urinary 8-OH-dG. Conclusion-Smoking and CYP2E1 gene polymorphism may be important factors in carcinogenesis and the GSTT1 positive genotype may be a genetic susceptibility factor in firefighters who are exposed regularly to various chemical carcinogens.
Size at birth and early postnatal growth rates appear to be important determinants of cardiovascu... more Size at birth and early postnatal growth rates appear to be important determinants of cardiovascular diseases. We examined whether intrauterine growth restriction or the subsequent catch-up postnatal weight gain leads to higher blood pressure in early life to confirm that size at birth and early postnatal growth rates appear to be important determinants of blood pressure changes in early life. Of 407 children born between December 2001 and November 2002 in hospital based-birth cohorts, 102 were followed up at 3 years of age (24.2%) at Ewha Womans University Hospital in Seoul, Korea. At 3 years of age, those who had a low birth weight still belonged in the lower-weight group than the others. The subjects' systolic blood pressure was correlated with their current weight (r ¼ 0.41) and weight gain (r ¼ 0.39), but not with their birth weight. Those with a higher current weight and higher weight gain based on birth weight (conditional weight gain) had the highest blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure increased by 0.2 mm Hg for every 100-g increase in weight at 3 years and, independently, by 1.5 mm Hg for every 100-unit increase in conditional weight gain. This study suggests that birth weight is not directly associated with blood pressure, but accelerated growth, which occurs mostly in those born with a low birth weight, seems to affect blood pressure in early life.
BACKGROUND: Although there have been growing concerns about the adverse effects of air pollution ... more BACKGROUND: Although there have been growing concerns about the adverse effects of air pollution on birth outcomes, little is known about which speci®c exposure times of speci®c pollutants contribute to low birth weight (LBW). METHODS: We evaluated the relationships between LBW and air pollution exposure levels in Seoul, Korea. Using the air pollution data, we estimated the exposure during each trimester and also during each month of pregnancy on the basis of the gestational age and birth date of each newborn. Generalized additive logistic regression analyses were conducted considering infant sex, birth order, maternal age, parental education level, time trend, and gestational age. RESULTS: The monthly analyses suggested that the risks for LBW tended to increase with carbon monoxide (CO) exposure between months 2±5 of pregnancy, with exposure to particles <10 mm (PM 10) in months 2 and 4, and for sulphur dioxide (SO 2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) exposure between months 3±5. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that exposure to CO, PM 10, SO 2 and NO 2 during early to mid pregnancy contribute to risks for LBW.
Background/Objectives: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during pregnancy is kn... more Background/Objectives: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during pregnancy is known to increase oxidative stress, which may influence pregnancy outcomes and health of the child. Subjects/Methods: This study investigated whether fruit and vegetable intake modifies the relationship between exposure to PAHs and oxidative stress status during pregnancy. Urinary levels of 2-naphthol and 1-hydroxypyrene (biomarkers of exposure to PAHs), and malondialdehyde (MDA; a biomarker of oxidative stress) were analyzed in 715 pregnant women at 12-28 weeks of gestation. The dietary antioxidant intake during pregnancy was estimated using the 24-h recall method. Urinary 2-naphthol, 1-hydroxypyrene and MDA levels were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection. Results: The urinary MDA level was positively correlated with the 2-naphthol level (r ¼ 0.255, Po0.001) and 1-hydroxypyrene level (r ¼ 0.240, Po0.001). Multiple regression analysis after adjustment for covariates revealed that the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene level was positively associated with the MDA level; these positive associations only existed in pregnant women, with either the fruit and vegetable intake or the vitamin C intake in the first tertile (o390.1 g/day) or in the first and second tertiles (o141.5 mg/day), respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that an adequate maternal intake of fruit, vegetables and vitamin C is beneficial to the defense against the oxidative stress associated with exposure to PAHs in pregnant women.
Background/objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most extensively studied inflammatory risk... more Background/objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most extensively studied inflammatory risk marker, and elevated serum CRP concentrations in pregnant women are known to be associated with subsequent development of preeclampsia and preterm delivery. Researchers have suggested that folate intake may help to control the inflammation process. We examined whether folate nutrition modifies the relationship between serum CRP concentration and gestational age at delivery. Subjects/methods: Serum CRP concentrations were analyzed in 815 pregnant women between 12 and 28 weeks of gestation. Dietary intakes were assessed using a 24-h dietary recall. The serum folate and high-sensitivity CRP concentrations were analyzed by radioassay and latex agglutination tests, respectively. Results: Serum CRP concentration was negatively correlated (Po0.001) with gestational age at delivery. Serum folate concentration was negatively correlated (Po0.01) with serum CRP concentration, and total dietary folate intake was positively correlated (Po0.001) with serum folate concentration. Multiple regression analysis after adjustment for covariates revealed that maternal CRP concentrations were negatively associated with gestational age at delivery; these negative associations existed only when folate intake during pregnancy was below the Korean estimated average requirements (520 mg dietary folate equivalent per day), and serum folate concentrations were above the normal (6 ng/ml). Conclusions: We found that adequate maternal folate intake during pregnancy may have a beneficial role against shorter gestational age at delivery, which is associated with higher serum CRP concentrations in pregnant women.
The concentration of micronutrients impacts fetal development and pregnancy outcome and has been ... more The concentration of micronutrients impacts fetal development and pregnancy outcome and has been suggested to be negatively correlated with the body-mass index (BMI). We evaluated the relationship between BMI and the serum folate concentration in 802 and 660 Korean pregnant women in mid-and late pregnancy, respectively, who participated in a multicenter prospective study. There was a significant negative correlation between BMI value and the serum folate concentration at mid-and late pregnancy (P for trend 0.001 and 0.024, respectively). A general linear model confirmed this correlation at both time points after adjusting for gestational age and total folate intake. These findings are important as the serum folate concentration is a rate-limiting factor for placental folate transport to the fetus, and an inadequate folate supply may cause various malformations.
Methods: Women who visited the hospital between 8 th and 14 th week of pregnancy were enrolled th... more Methods: Women who visited the hospital between 8 th and 14 th week of pregnancy were enrolled the Seoul birth and development cohort (SBC) and followed until delivery. For measuring indoor and personal VOCs, well-trained researcher visited the every pregnant ...
Environmental factors contributing to reduced birth weight are of great concern because of the we... more Environmental factors contributing to reduced birth weight are of great concern because of the well-known relation of birth weight to infant mortality and adverse effects in later life. We examined the associations between air pollution exposures during pregnancy and low birth weight among all full-term births (gestational age 37-44 weeks) for a 2-year period (January 1996 through December 1997) in Seoul, South Korea. We evaluated these associations with a generalized additive logistic regression adjusting for gestational age, maternal age, parental educational level, parity, and infant sex. We used smoothing plots with generalized additive models to analyze the exposureresponse relation for each air pollutant. The adjusted relative risk of low birth weight was 1.08 [95% confidence interval (CI) ϭ 1.04-1.12] for each interquartile increase for carbon monoxide concentrations during the first trimester of pregnancy. The relative risks were 1.07 (95% CI ϭ 1.03-1.11) for nitrogen dioxide, 1.06 (95% CI ϭ 1.02-1.10) for sulfur dioxide, and 1.04 (95% CI ϭ 1.00-1.08) for total suspended particles also for interquartile increase in exposure. Carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and total suspended particle concentrations in the first trimester of pregnancy period are risk factors for low birth weight.
We examined the relationships between pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index (BMI), pregnancy out... more We examined the relationships between pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index (BMI), pregnancy outcomes and biochemical markers. This study was conducted as a cross-sectional analysis. Korean women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy were recruited at two hospitals in the metropolitan Seoul area. Pre-pregnancy BMI was categorized in four groups according to the Asia-Pacific standard. Fasting blood samples were obtained and analyzed for serum levels of homocysteine, folate and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Concentrations of fetal fibronectin were assessed in the cervix and vagina, and cervical length was measured. Obese subjects had a lower education level and a lower income level than subjects of normal weight. The level of maternal stress was positively associated with pre-pregnancy BMI. Normal weight subjects were more likely to eat breakfast and consume meals of appropriate size than the rest of our sample. In overweight and obese subjects, weight gai...
The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 2009
This study was undertaken to evaluate whether uterine artery notch is associated with placental e... more This study was undertaken to evaluate whether uterine artery notch is associated with placental expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), and Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor (Lox) in pregnant women. Uterine artery Doppler was performed in 30 pregnant women divided into two groups with or without the presence of uterine artery notches. After delivery, placental expression of eNOS, Hsp70, and Lox were evaluated with western blot analysis. Higher levels of placental eNOS (p = 0.02) and Hsp70 (p = 0.001) were expressed in the group with uterine artery notch compared with the group without uterine artery notch. There was no significant difference for placental Lox expression between group with uterine artery notch and without uterine artery notch (p = 0.17). Our results suggest that uterine artery notch is associated with increased placental expression of eNOS and Hsp in pregnant women.
Nitric oxide is produced enzymatically by the nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which converts L-argin... more Nitric oxide is produced enzymatically by the nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which converts L-arginine in the presence of oxygen to L-citrulline and NO. Moreover, it has been reported that asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) acts as is an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial NOS (eNOS) by competing with the enzyme for L-arginine. In this study, we measured L-arginine and ADMA in normal and preeclamptic women, and also investigated the association between the Glu298Asp eNOS gene polymorphism and preeclampsia. Finally, we assessed eNOS expression levels in the placentas of both normal and preeclamptic patients, using Western blot and immunohistochemistry. L-arginine levels were found to be significantly lower in the preeclamptic women than in the normal pregnant women (p=0.02) but there were no significant differences in ADMA levels between the normal and preeclamptic women. We also determined there to be no association between the Glu298Asp eNOS gene and preeclampsia. With regard to placental eNOS expression, we detected a lower degree of eNOS expression in the preeclamptic syncytiotrophoblasts than in the normal syncytiotrophoblasts. We suggest that reduced L-arginine levels, rather than increased ADMA levels, contribute to the development of preeclampsia, and also that decreased placental eNOS expression constitutes a characteristic finding in preeclamptic placentas.
Objective. Susceptibility of target populations to air pollution is an important issue, because a... more Objective. Susceptibility of target populations to air pollution is an important issue, because air pollution policies and standards should be based on the susceptibilities of those at particular risk. To evaluate which age group is more susceptible to the adverse health effects of air pollution, we compared the effects of air pollution on mortality among postneonates, those aged 2 to 64 years, and those over 65 years of age. Design. Daily counts of total and respiratory death along with daily levels of meteorological variables and air pollutants were analyzed using generalized additive Poisson regression. The relative risks (RR) of mortality for interquartile changes of the levels of particulate matter <10 μm (PM10) were calculated on the same day. Results. For postneonates, the RR of total mortality for an interquartile change (42.9 μg/m3) in PM10 (RR: 1.142; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.096–1.190) was greatest among age groups. Next were the elderly over 65 years of age (RR...
Objectives-Oxidative DNA damage has been implicated in carcinogenesis. The DNA damage can be asse... more Objectives-Oxidative DNA damage has been implicated in carcinogenesis. The DNA damage can be assessed from the urinary excretion of the DNA-repair product 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG). The factors were investigated that influenced the excretion of urinary 8-OH-dG in 78 firefighters. Methods-53 Out of 78 firefighters were exposed to fire within 5 days of the study and 25 were not. 8-OH-dG was measured by ELISA and the distribution of the genotypes of CYP1A1, CYP2E1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 was measured by polymerase chain reaction. Results-The homozygous wild type frequencies of CYP1A1 MspI, CYP1A1 ileval, CYP2E1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 were 31.5%, 56.2%, 60.3%, 50.7%, and 53.4%, respectively. The geometric mean of urinary 8-OH-dG was 14.1 ng/mg creatinine in more active firefighters and 12.3 ng/mg creatinine in non-exposed and less active subjects. Significantly increased concentrations of urinary 8-OH-dG were found to be associated with cigarette smoking, and 14% of the variation of 8-OH-dG was explained by cigarettes smoked per day. The CYP1A1 MspI, CYP1A1 ile-val, GSTM1, and GSTT1 genetic polymorphisms were not found to be significantly associated with the urinary excretion of 8-OH-dG. However, the subjects carrying the CYP2E1 mutant type excreted higher concentrations of 8-OH-dG and there was a marginally significant interaction of GSTT1 with firefighting activity. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that smoking was the strongest predictor of excretion of 8-OH-dG. Age, body mass index, and firefighting activity were not significant predictive factors for urinary 8-OH-dG. Conclusion-Smoking and CYP2E1 gene polymorphism may be important factors in carcinogenesis and the GSTT1 positive genotype may be a genetic susceptibility factor in firefighters who are exposed regularly to various chemical carcinogens.
Size at birth and early postnatal growth rates appear to be important determinants of cardiovascu... more Size at birth and early postnatal growth rates appear to be important determinants of cardiovascular diseases. We examined whether intrauterine growth restriction or the subsequent catch-up postnatal weight gain leads to higher blood pressure in early life to confirm that size at birth and early postnatal growth rates appear to be important determinants of blood pressure changes in early life. Of 407 children born between December 2001 and November 2002 in hospital based-birth cohorts, 102 were followed up at 3 years of age (24.2%) at Ewha Womans University Hospital in Seoul, Korea. At 3 years of age, those who had a low birth weight still belonged in the lower-weight group than the others. The subjects' systolic blood pressure was correlated with their current weight (r ¼ 0.41) and weight gain (r ¼ 0.39), but not with their birth weight. Those with a higher current weight and higher weight gain based on birth weight (conditional weight gain) had the highest blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure increased by 0.2 mm Hg for every 100-g increase in weight at 3 years and, independently, by 1.5 mm Hg for every 100-unit increase in conditional weight gain. This study suggests that birth weight is not directly associated with blood pressure, but accelerated growth, which occurs mostly in those born with a low birth weight, seems to affect blood pressure in early life.
BACKGROUND: Although there have been growing concerns about the adverse effects of air pollution ... more BACKGROUND: Although there have been growing concerns about the adverse effects of air pollution on birth outcomes, little is known about which speci®c exposure times of speci®c pollutants contribute to low birth weight (LBW). METHODS: We evaluated the relationships between LBW and air pollution exposure levels in Seoul, Korea. Using the air pollution data, we estimated the exposure during each trimester and also during each month of pregnancy on the basis of the gestational age and birth date of each newborn. Generalized additive logistic regression analyses were conducted considering infant sex, birth order, maternal age, parental education level, time trend, and gestational age. RESULTS: The monthly analyses suggested that the risks for LBW tended to increase with carbon monoxide (CO) exposure between months 2±5 of pregnancy, with exposure to particles <10 mm (PM 10) in months 2 and 4, and for sulphur dioxide (SO 2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) exposure between months 3±5. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that exposure to CO, PM 10, SO 2 and NO 2 during early to mid pregnancy contribute to risks for LBW.
Background/Objectives: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during pregnancy is kn... more Background/Objectives: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during pregnancy is known to increase oxidative stress, which may influence pregnancy outcomes and health of the child. Subjects/Methods: This study investigated whether fruit and vegetable intake modifies the relationship between exposure to PAHs and oxidative stress status during pregnancy. Urinary levels of 2-naphthol and 1-hydroxypyrene (biomarkers of exposure to PAHs), and malondialdehyde (MDA; a biomarker of oxidative stress) were analyzed in 715 pregnant women at 12-28 weeks of gestation. The dietary antioxidant intake during pregnancy was estimated using the 24-h recall method. Urinary 2-naphthol, 1-hydroxypyrene and MDA levels were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection. Results: The urinary MDA level was positively correlated with the 2-naphthol level (r ¼ 0.255, Po0.001) and 1-hydroxypyrene level (r ¼ 0.240, Po0.001). Multiple regression analysis after adjustment for covariates revealed that the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene level was positively associated with the MDA level; these positive associations only existed in pregnant women, with either the fruit and vegetable intake or the vitamin C intake in the first tertile (o390.1 g/day) or in the first and second tertiles (o141.5 mg/day), respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that an adequate maternal intake of fruit, vegetables and vitamin C is beneficial to the defense against the oxidative stress associated with exposure to PAHs in pregnant women.
Background/objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most extensively studied inflammatory risk... more Background/objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most extensively studied inflammatory risk marker, and elevated serum CRP concentrations in pregnant women are known to be associated with subsequent development of preeclampsia and preterm delivery. Researchers have suggested that folate intake may help to control the inflammation process. We examined whether folate nutrition modifies the relationship between serum CRP concentration and gestational age at delivery. Subjects/methods: Serum CRP concentrations were analyzed in 815 pregnant women between 12 and 28 weeks of gestation. Dietary intakes were assessed using a 24-h dietary recall. The serum folate and high-sensitivity CRP concentrations were analyzed by radioassay and latex agglutination tests, respectively. Results: Serum CRP concentration was negatively correlated (Po0.001) with gestational age at delivery. Serum folate concentration was negatively correlated (Po0.01) with serum CRP concentration, and total dietary folate intake was positively correlated (Po0.001) with serum folate concentration. Multiple regression analysis after adjustment for covariates revealed that maternal CRP concentrations were negatively associated with gestational age at delivery; these negative associations existed only when folate intake during pregnancy was below the Korean estimated average requirements (520 mg dietary folate equivalent per day), and serum folate concentrations were above the normal (6 ng/ml). Conclusions: We found that adequate maternal folate intake during pregnancy may have a beneficial role against shorter gestational age at delivery, which is associated with higher serum CRP concentrations in pregnant women.
The concentration of micronutrients impacts fetal development and pregnancy outcome and has been ... more The concentration of micronutrients impacts fetal development and pregnancy outcome and has been suggested to be negatively correlated with the body-mass index (BMI). We evaluated the relationship between BMI and the serum folate concentration in 802 and 660 Korean pregnant women in mid-and late pregnancy, respectively, who participated in a multicenter prospective study. There was a significant negative correlation between BMI value and the serum folate concentration at mid-and late pregnancy (P for trend 0.001 and 0.024, respectively). A general linear model confirmed this correlation at both time points after adjusting for gestational age and total folate intake. These findings are important as the serum folate concentration is a rate-limiting factor for placental folate transport to the fetus, and an inadequate folate supply may cause various malformations.
Methods: Women who visited the hospital between 8 th and 14 th week of pregnancy were enrolled th... more Methods: Women who visited the hospital between 8 th and 14 th week of pregnancy were enrolled the Seoul birth and development cohort (SBC) and followed until delivery. For measuring indoor and personal VOCs, well-trained researcher visited the every pregnant ...
Environmental factors contributing to reduced birth weight are of great concern because of the we... more Environmental factors contributing to reduced birth weight are of great concern because of the well-known relation of birth weight to infant mortality and adverse effects in later life. We examined the associations between air pollution exposures during pregnancy and low birth weight among all full-term births (gestational age 37-44 weeks) for a 2-year period (January 1996 through December 1997) in Seoul, South Korea. We evaluated these associations with a generalized additive logistic regression adjusting for gestational age, maternal age, parental educational level, parity, and infant sex. We used smoothing plots with generalized additive models to analyze the exposureresponse relation for each air pollutant. The adjusted relative risk of low birth weight was 1.08 [95% confidence interval (CI) ϭ 1.04-1.12] for each interquartile increase for carbon monoxide concentrations during the first trimester of pregnancy. The relative risks were 1.07 (95% CI ϭ 1.03-1.11) for nitrogen dioxide, 1.06 (95% CI ϭ 1.02-1.10) for sulfur dioxide, and 1.04 (95% CI ϭ 1.00-1.08) for total suspended particles also for interquartile increase in exposure. Carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and total suspended particle concentrations in the first trimester of pregnancy period are risk factors for low birth weight.
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