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OD Research - Reproductive Epidemiology

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Female Fecundity, New York State Angler Prospective Pregnancy Study

The New York State Angler Cohort Study (NYSACS) Prospective Pregnancy Study enrolled women who, at recruitment into the larger NYSACS cohort study, indicated that they had not yet completed childbearing. The intent of the study was to empirically demonstrate that women could be recruited for intensive follow-up, including the collection of daily information for up to 12 menstrual cycles determined to be at risk of pregnancy. Much of the early work focused on laboratory procedures that may impact study findings, including how best to model congeners, handling concentrations below the limits of detection, and lipid adjustment. Investigators are now beginning to look at the association between exposure to PCBs and various reproductive endpoints, such as time to pregnancy and birth size.

Principal investigator

Germaine Louis, Ph.D., M.S.

DESPR Collaborators

Selected Publications

  • Taylor KC, Jackson LW, Lynch CD, Kostyniak PJ, & Louis GMB. (2006). Preconception maternal polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations and the secondary sex ratio. Environmental Research, 103, 99-105. PMID: 16780830
  • Bloom MS, Buck Louis GM, Schisterman EF, Liu A, & Kostyniak PJ. (2007). Maternal serum polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations across critical windows of human development. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115, 1320-1324. PMID: 17805422
  • Buck Louis, Dmochowski J, Lynch CD, Kostyniak PJ, McGuinness BM, & Vena JE. (2009). Polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations, lifestyle and time-to-pregnancy. Human Reproduction, 24, 451-458. NIHMSID#75506 PMID: 18940895
  • Bloom MS, Buck Louis GM, Schisterman EF, Kostyniak PJ, & Vena JE. (2009). Changes in maternal serum chlorinated pesticide concentrations across critical windows of human reproduction and development. Environmental Research, 109, 93-100 NIHMSID #69780 PMID: 18973878
  • Murphy LE, Gollenberg AL, Buck Louis GM, Kostyniak PJ, & Sundaram R. (2010). Maternal serum preconception polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations and infant birth weight. Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(2), 297-302. PMID: 20123616
  • Mikolajczyk R, Louis GB, Cooney M, Lynch C, & Sundaram R. (2010). Characteristics of prospectively measured vaginal bleeding among women trying to conceive. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 24, 24-30. PMID: 20078826
  • Pollack A, Louis GB, Sundaram R, & Lum K. (2010). Caffeine consumption and miscarriage: a prospective cohort study. Fertility and Sterility, 93, 304-306. PMID: 19732873
  • Jackson LW, Lynch CD, Kostyniak PJ, McGuinness BM, & Buck Louis GM. (2010). Prenatal and postnatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and child size at 24 months of age. Reproductive Toxicology, 29, 25-31. PMID: 19819326
  • Cooney MA, Buck Louis GM, Sundaram R, McGuiness BM, & Lynch CD. (2009). Validity of self-reported time to pregnancy. Epidemiology, 26, 56-59. Authors' Reply to Letter-to-the-editor: Validity of self-reported time to pregnancy. (2010). Epidemiology, 21, 161. PMID: 19057382
  • Buck AJ, Vena JE, McGuinness BM, Cooney MA, & Louis GM. (2010). Communicating serum chemical concentrations to study participants: follow up survey. Environmental Health, 9, 20. PMID: 20441591
Last Updated Date: 11/30/2012

Contact Information

Name: Dr Germaine M Louis
Director and Senior Investigator
Phone: 301-496-6155
Fax: 301-402-2084
E-mail: louisg@mail.nih.gov

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