The negative effects of environmental exposure during pregnancy on fetal growth and children development have been confirmed. It has been found that environmental exposures during pregnancy have a great influence on the growth and development of fetus, birth outcomes and children's psychology, behavior and neural development. In this review, according to different types of environmental exposures, we focused on the key issues of the fetus or children induced by four aspects of environment exposure, including environmental chemicals, unhealthy life styles and behaviors, stress and other risk factors, and discussed the adverse effects of environmental factors on the growth and development of infants, children's psychology, behavior, social and cognitive, such as birth defects, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, emotional problems, learning disorder and intelligence development and so on. We also suggested that the researches on mechanism of the negative effects of environmental exposure on children's health should be strengthened in the future.
Child ; Child Development ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To establish an improved mouse model of valproic acid (VPA)-induced autism that better mimics human autism. METHODS: We established mouse models of autism in female C57 mice by intraperitoneal injection of sodium valproate either at a single dose (600 mg/kg) on day 12.5 after conception (conventional group) or in two doses of 300 mg/kg each on days 10 and 12 after conception (modified group), and the control mice were injected with saline only on day 12.5. The responses of the mice to VPA injection, the uterus, mortality rate, and abortion rate were compared among the 3 groups. The morphology and development of the offspring mice were assessed, and their behavioral ontogeny was evaluated using 3- chambered social test, social test, juvenil play test, and open field test. RESULTS: The mortality and abortion rates were significantly lower in the modified model group than in the conventional group ( < 0.01). Compared with those in the control group, the offspring mice in both the conventional group and the modified group showed developmental disorders ( < 0.05). The mortality rate of the newborn mice was significantly lower in the modified group than in the conventional group with a rate of curvy tail of up to 100% ( < 0.001). The offspring mice in both the modified group and conventional group exhibited autism-like behavioral abnormalities, including social disorder and repetitive stereotyped behavior ( < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The mouse model of autism established using the modified method better mimics human autism with reduced mortality and abortion rates of the pregnant mice and also decreased mortality rate of the newborn mice.
Animals ; Autistic Disorder ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Valproic Acid

Adult ; Age Factors ; China ; Famine ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of rat maternal exposure to fenvalerate during lactation on behaviors development in rat pubertal female offspring.

METHODSTwelve ICR maternal mice were randomly divided into 7.5 and 30.0 mg/kg fenvalerate exposure groups and control group (four dams each group, ten pups each dam, half male half female, twenty female pups each group). The exposure groups were orally exposed to fenvalerate at the doses of 7.5 and 30 mg/kg a day from postnatal day 1 (PND1) to PND21. The control group was exposed to corn oil. The effects of maternal fenvalerate exposure during lactation on motor and species-typical behaviors in female offspring were observed on the PND 35.

RESULTSThe peripheral time and standing frequency of 30.0 mg/kg exposure group were (263.4 ± 54.8) s and (47.3 ± 16.2) times, which were significantly higher than those [(203.4 ± 53.0) s and (30.9 ± 17.3) times] of control group (P < 0.05). The scores in 7.5 mg/kg and 30.0 mg/kg exposure groups were 56.50 ± 50.79 and 54.73 ± 53.91, respectively, which were significantly lower than that (114.53 ± 53.87) in control group (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences in beam walking scores, food hoarding quantity, food digging quantity, and nest construction scores between two exposure groups were found (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe rat maternal exposure to fenvalerate during lactation could decrease the ability of exploration and motor condition and increase the anxiety but not affect life habit in rat pubertal female offspring.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Female ; Male ; Maternal Exposure ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Nitriles ; toxicity ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Pyrethrins ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo explore the concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in umbilical cord serum and analyze the influence of exposure to PBDEs during fetal stage on newborn birth outcomes in Shanghai.

METHODSFifty delivery women in a Shanghai hospital were surveyed by questionnaire, and the umbilical cord serum were collected from September 2006 to April 2007. All the delivery women were singleton pregnancies, excluding high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV infection and adverse medical history. Seven congeners (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154 and BDE-183) were measured by gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry and the influencing factors were analyzed.

RESULTSNewborns' length, weight, chest circumference, head circumference and body mass index (BMI) were (50.15 ± 0.75) cm, (3.49 ± 0.42) kg, (34.76 ± 1.51) cm, (35.03 ± 1.40) cm, (13.76 ± 1.36) kg/m(2), respectively. The median of Σ(7PBDEs) concentration in umbilical cord serum was 14.06 (1.03 - 379.73) ng/g lipid weight (lw). The detection rate of BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154 and BDE-183 were 22% (11/50), 22% (11/50), 98% (49/50), 72% (36/50), 76% (38/50), 90% (45/50) and 14% (7/50), respectively. The median (range) of PBDEs (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, BDE-183) congeners were < LOD (< LOD-137.20 ng/g lw), < LOD (< LOD-33.17 ng/g lw), 7.54 ng/g lw (< LOD-94.01 ng/g lw), 1.57 ng/g lw (< LOD-46.95 ng/g lw), 0.63 ng/g lw (< LOD-79.08 ng/g lw), 0.63 ng/g lw (< LOD-22.30 ng/g lw) and < LOD (< LOD-21.63 ng/g lw), respectively. The newborns' BMI showed a negative correlation with BDE-99 (r = -0.347, P < 0.05) and BDE-154 (r = -0.292, P < 0.05). BDE-99 in low-length group (≤ 50 cm, 10.59 ng/g lw) was significantly higher (t = 2.32, P = 0.03) than that in high-length group (> 50 cm, 3.60 ng/g lw).

CONCLUSIONPBDEs were commonly detected in newborns' umbilical cord serum in this study. Our findings indicated that exposure to PBDEs adversely affected the development of the newborns.

China ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Exposure ; Polybrominated Biphenyls ; blood ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of lead exposure at different levels in utero on the teeth eruption and enamel development of rat offsprings.

METHODS27 pregnant SD rats were divided into three groups randomly: high level lead group (HLG), low level lead group (LLG) and control group with nine rats in each group. The three groups from the gestation day to the end of the gestation were given either deionized water in control group or deionized water containing 200 mg/L Pb2+ as lead acetate through drinking method in high level lead experimental group and 50 mg/L Pb2+ as lead acetate through drinking method in low level lead experimental group. The incisors of newborn rats were marked at the level of the gingival papilla on the 26th day after birth. On the 36th day, the incisors of newborn rats were marked again at the same level. Then the rat offsprings were killed and their blood was collected for lead analysis. The mandible incisors of rat offspring were separated and the content of Pb in incisors was determined by using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric method. The teeth of rat offspring were observed and the distance between two marks were measured by means of stereomicroscope. The ratio of calcium to phosphate of enamel of rat offspring was compared by electron probe microanalyses.

RESULTSThe level of blood lead in 200 mg/L, 50 mg/L treated rat offspring groups was higher than that in control group. The tooth lead of 200 mg/L, 50 mg/L treated rat offspring groups [(77.3 +/- 6.3), (27.8 +/- 4.5) microg/g] were higher than the control [(6.6 +/- 0.8) microg/g, P < 0.01]. Compared with the control group, the teeth of lead exposure experimental groups were smaller and severity of attrition was obvious and pulpal perforations were often observed. These appearances was more distinct in rats of high level lead experimental group. The incisors of lead-treated rat offspring erupted [(0.25 +/- 0.08), (0.30 +/- 0.09) mm/d] more slowly than control ones [(0.39 +/- 0.09) mm/d, P < 0.01]. The ratio of calcium to phosphate (Ca/P) decreased with the increase of lead exposure. It was found that Ca/P in lead exposure experimental groups (1.68 +/- 0.54), (1.37 +/- 0.47) was significantly lower than that in the control group (2.14 +/- 0.33).

CONCLUSIONLead exposure in utero affects the normal eruption of teeth and enamel formation and the degree was related with the lead exposure level.

Animals ; Enamel Organ ; drug effects ; Female ; Lead ; adverse effects ; Maternal Exposure ; adverse effects ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tooth Eruption ; drug effects

OBJECTIVES: Mothers who smoke during pregnancy or while their children are small were common in some populations. Epidemiological studies have tried to detect the effect of prenatal tobacco smoke (PTS), and childhood environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on puberty timing have not shown a consensus results. We aimed to examine current evidence and estimate the associations between PTS or/and ETS and puberty timing. METHODS: Seven databases were searched from inception to May 2017. All the cohort studies examining the associations between PTS and/or ETS and puberty timing were identified. Two reviewers independently screened all studies, evaluated the quality of eligible studies, and extracted the data. The quality assessment of the eligible cohort studies was based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Risk ratio (RR), standard mean difference (SMD), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and pooled by CMA (Version 2.0, Biostat, Inc., USA). RESULTS: Compared with controls, girls with PTS and ETS exposure have an earlier age at menarche (SMD - 0.087, 95% CI 0.174 to - 0.000), and similar results were found in both PTS subgroup (SMD - 0.097, 95% CI - 0.192 to - 0.002) and prospective cohort subgroup (SMD - 0.171, 95% CI - 0.253 to - 0.090). And number of boys with early voice break in PTS group was significantly increasing than non-exposed boys (RR 1.34, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.40). CONCLUSIONS PTS exposure possibly decrease age of menarche of girls, and studies on boys were urgent needed. Appropriate and comprehensive outcome measures using unified criteria to classify puberty should be reported in future studies.
Aging ; physiology ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Menarche ; physiology ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; etiology ; Puberty ; physiology ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; adverse effects

Isotretinoin is a known human teratogen that can cause multiple malformations. At present, women who conceive one cycle after discontinuing isotretinoin are told that their teratogenic risk is not higher than baseline. We present a case of both ear malformation in a newborn whose mother had taken isotretinoin for 2 years until one month prior to the time when she became pregnant. We suggest that further studies of pharmacokinetics and malformation of isotreinoin are needed.
Abnormalities, Drug-Induced/*diagnosis/*etiology/pathology ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Isotretinoin/*adverse effects ; Male ; Pregnancy ; *Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects

The present study investigated the effects of prenatal exposure to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnetic fields on the synaptic ultrastructure of hippocampal formation of rats at different postnatal development stages. Pregnant rats with gestation of 12-18 days were exposed to the magnetic fields used for MRI clinical applications. When the offspring were 1, 2, or 5-month-old, the synaptic morphologic parameters were measured in female offspring. In the 2-month-old MRI group, the curvature of synaptic interface, the length of active zone and the surface density per unit volume (S(v)) of active zone in the dentate gyrus (DG) decreased significantly, and the width of synaptic cleft increased in the CA1 area. In the 5-month-old MRI group, the width of synaptic cleft increased, the thickness of postsynaptic density and the curvature of synaptic interface decreased significantly in the CA1 region, and the width of synaptic cleft increased in the DG. No significant change was observed in the 1-month-old group. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to the medical magnetic fields causes synaptic ultrastructural changes. The relationship of these changes with behavioral impairments was discussed.
Animals ; Female ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; adverse effects ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Synapses ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of nonylphenol (NP) on the neural behavioral development of filial generation rats exposed via placenta.

METHODSOn the first day of the pregnancy, the SD rats were divided into four groups, and orally administered with NP at doses of 0, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg on gestational day 9 approximately 15 respectively. The offspring rats of each groups were examined to observe the impact of NP on the early physiological, neurobehavioral development. The changes of filial generation body weight (from generation day 1 to 28) were measured. Brain tissues were stained with Hematoxylin-eosin and Congo red to observe with optical microscope.

RESULTSIn contrast to the control group, the early physiological markers (pinna detachment, hair growth, tooth growth and eye opening) and the early neurobehavioral development indices (surface righting, air righting, acoustic startle and visual placing) were significantly delayed in the groups of NP 200mg/kg dose (P < 0.05). The developing time of physiological markers decreased from (4.5 +/- 0.8, 5.2 +/- 0.8, 12.7 +/- 1.4, 16.0 +/- 1.7) d to (3.6 +/- 0.5, 3.6 +/- 0.5, 11.1 +/- 1.1, 12.7 +/- 1.3) d while neurobehavioral developing time decreased from (6.5 +/- 0.8, 11.3 +/- 0.5, 11.2 +/- 1.0, 20.2 +/- 1.0) d to (5.1 +/- 0.4, 8.3 +/- 0.5, 9.3 +/- 0.5, 9.3 +/- 0.5) d (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The body weights of filial generation rats were decreased obviously from 1 st day to 28th day. Histopathological examination displayed that hippocampal neurons had congestion and oedema in the group of 100, 200 mg/kg dose.

CONCLUSIONExposures to NP during gestation might impair the neurobehavioral development of F1 rats significantly.

Animals ; Female ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Phenols ; toxicity ; Placenta ; drug effects ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley