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Objectives: Large amounts of mineral dust are transported from their African sources in the Saharan-Sahel region to the Caribbean Sea, generating peak exposures to particulate matter ≤10 µm (PM 10 ). This study aimed to investigate the impact of Saharan dust episodes on preterm births in the Guadeloupe archipelago., Methods: The study population consisted of 909 pregnant women who were enrolled in the TIMOUN mother-child cohort between 2004 and 2007. Desert dust episodes were assessed from PM 10 concentrations recorded at the unique background air quality monitoring station located in Pointe-à-Pitre. For each woman, the daily PM 10 concentrations were averaged over the entire pregnancy, and the proportion of days with intense dust episodes (≥55 µg PM 10 /m 3 ) during pregnancy was calculated. Weighted logistic regression models adjusting for known individual sociomedical risk factors were used to estimate ORs and 95% CIs for preterm birth., Results: During pregnancy, the mean PM 10 concentrations ranged from 13.17 to 34.92 µg/m 3 , whereas the proportion of intense dust events ranged from 0.00% to 19.41%. Increased adjusted ORs were found for both the mean PM 10 concentrations and the proportion of intense dust events (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.81, and OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.98 per SD change, respectively). Restriction to spontaneous preterm births produced similar ORs but with wider 95% CIs., Conclusion: Considering the personal and social burden of this adverse pregnancy outcome, this finding is of importance for both healthcare workers and policy makers to provide necessary preventive measures., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objectives: Glycol ethers (GE) are oxygenated solvents frequently found in occupational and consumer products. Some of them are well-known testicular and developmental animal toxicants. This study aims to evaluate the risk of male genital anomalies in association with prenatal exposure to GE using urinary biomarkers of exposure., Methods: We conducted a case-control study nested in two joint mother-child cohorts (5303 pregnant women). Cases of cryptorchidism and hypospadias were identified at birth and confirmed during a 2-year follow-up period (n=14 cryptorchidism and n=15 hypospadias). Each case was matched to three randomly selected controls within the cohorts for region of inclusion and gestational age at urine sampling. Concentrations of five GE acidic metabolites were measured in spot maternal urine samples collected during pregnancy. ORs were estimated with multivariate conditional logistic regressions including a Firth's penalisation., Results: Detection rates of urinary GE metabolites ranged from 8% to 93% and only two were sufficiently detected (>33%) in each cohort to be studied: methoxyacetic acid (MAA) and phenoxyacetic acid (PhAA). A significantly higher risk of hypospadias was associated with the highest tertile of exposure to MAA: OR (95% CI) 4.5(1.4 to 23.4). No association were observed with urinary concentration of PhAA, nor with the risk of cryptorchidism., Conclusions: In view of the toxicological plausibility of our results, this study, despite its small sample size, raises concern about the potential developmental toxicity of MAA on the male genital system and calls for thorough identification of current sources of exposure to MAA., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Objectives: Many women who work during pregnancy are occupationally exposed to toxicants. The developing central nervous system is highly vulnerable to neurotoxicants such as solvents. Although the neurotoxicity of solvents to adults is well established, very few studies have examined their effects on children's behaviour following prenatal exposure., Methods: Women from the Perturbateurs endocriniens: Étude Longitudinale sur les Anomalies de la Grossesse, l'Infertilité et l'Enfance (PELAGIE) mother-child cohort (including 3005 working women) were recruited in Brittany (France) between 2002 and 2006, at the beginning of pregnancy, to assess occupational exposure to solvents at that time. Child behaviour was documented at age 2 by mothers (n=1278) assessing components of attention deficit/hyperactivity, aggression, opposition and emotionality. We used a multiple linear regression analysis to evaluate the association between occupational solvent exposure and children's behaviour. Complementary sensitivity analyses allowed us to handle missing data, due mostly to attrition., Results: 20% of women reported occasional exposure and 31% regular exposure to solvents. Children prenatally exposed were more likely to have higher scores of attention deficit/hyperactivity and aggression, and dose-response relations were observed., Conclusions: The dose-response effect and the high prevalence of children potentially exposed to solvents from their mother's workplace exposure underline the public health relevance of this result. Our results should be replicated in further studies designed to identify which solvents are most deleterious and to assess child behaviour at school age.

Objectives: To describe urine levels of metabolites of glycol ethers and chlorinated solvents in a sample of pregnant women from the general population, to study their occupational and non-occupational determinants and to compare them with the results of indirect assessment methods of solvent exposure., Methods: A sample of 451 pregnant women was randomly selected from a general population cohort. At inclusion, the women in this sample completed a self-administered questionnaire about their social and medical characteristics, occupation and exposure to different products at work and in non-occupational activities. Occupational exposure to solvents was assessed from the woman's self-report and from a job-exposure matrix. Eight alkoxycarboxylic acids and trichloroacetic acid and trichloroethanol were measured with chromatography in urine samples collected at inclusion. Associations between metabolite levels and job titles, exposure to products used at work, and solvent exposure were studied., Results: The different glycol ether metabolites were detected in 5.3%-96.4% of the urine samples, trichloroacetic acid in 6.4% and trichloroethanol in 5.5%. Nurses had butoxyacetic acid and phenoxyacetic acid in their urine most often, whereas methoxyethoxyacetic acid was the most frequent among nursing aides. Among cleaners, ethoxyacetic acid and ethoxyethoxyacetic acid were the most frequent. The occupation of hairdresser was associated with urinary excretion of ethoxyacetic acid, ethoxyethoxyacetic acid, butoxyacetic acid and phenoxyacetic acid. Among the women classified as exposed to solvents, the agents identified most often were ethoxyacetic acid, ethoxy-ethoxyacetic acid, butoxyacetic acid, phenoxyacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid and trichloroethanol. Ethoxyethoxyacetic acid was the only metabolite associated with non-occupational exposure., Conclusions: Metabolites of glycol ethers and chlorinated solvents were present at low levels in the urine of pregnant women. Most metabolites were associated with occupational exposure.