Prenatal fluoride exposure associated with increased neurobehavioral problems among newborns: Study
Mother-child pairs in Los Angeles, California, prenatal fluoride exposure is associated with increased neurobehavioral problems suggests a new study published in JAMA.
A study was done to examine associations of third trimester maternal urinary fluoride (MUF) with child neurobehavior at age 3 years in the US. This prospective cohort study utilized urine samples archived from 2017 to 2020 and neurobehavioral data assessed from 2020 to 2023 from the Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES) pregnancy cohort, which consisted of predominately Hispanic women residing in Los Angeles, California. Cohort eligibility criteria at recruitment included being 18 years of age or older, less than 30 weeks’ gestation, and a fluent English or Spanish speaker. Exclusion criteria included having a disability preventing participation or provision of informed consent, being HIV positive or incarcerated, and having a multiple gestation pregnancy.
There were 263 mother-child pairs who completed the 3-year study visit. In this analysis, women who reported prenatal smoking were excluded. Data analysis was conducted from October 2022 to March 2024. Neurobehavior was quantified using the Preschool Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), which included composite scores for Total Problems, Internalizing Problems, and Externalizing Problems. CBCL composite T scores range from 28 to 100. T scores from 60 to 63 are in the borderline clinical range, whereas scores above 63 are in the clinical range.
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