Prenatal pyrethroid insecticide exposure and thyroid hormone levels and birth sizes of neonates

Pyrethroid insecticides have been shown to possess thyroid hormone disrupting properties in previous animal studies. In this study, the relationship between maternal exposure to pyrethroid insecticides during pregnancy and neonatal thyroid hormone status (free thyroxine (fT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in whole blood) and birth sizes were explored in 147 mother–neonate pairs in Tokyo. The concentration of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) in maternal urine, sampled in the first trimester of gestation, was used for pyrethroid exposure assessment. Neonatal fT4 and TSH were within the normal range except for one elevated TSH (but normal fT4) in a neonate. Multiple regression analyses with stepwise variable selection did not extract maternal 3-PBA as significant for neonatal fT4 and TSH, indicating that maternal pyrethroid exposure had no apparent effect on the neonatal thyroid hormone status of the neonate subjects. For birth weight and head circumference, maternal 3-PBA was selected as significant with a positive partial regression coefficient along with other factors known to increase birth sizes of neonates (gestational weeks or maternal BMI). It was not clear if this was causal because no biological mechanism was apparent. •We examined relationship between neonatal fT4 and TSH and maternal pyrethroid exposure.•The relationship between pyrethroid exposure and neonatal body size was also exploired.•Urinary metabolite (3-PBA) level was used as a biomarker of pyrethroid exposure.•Multiple regression analysis did not extract urinary 3-PBA as significant for neonatal fT4 and TSH.•Maternal urinary 3-PBA was a significant predictor of birth size and head circumference.