biostudies-literatureAmes JLNICHD NIH HHSNIEHS NIH HHSNIH HHSNIGMS NIH HHS450-459https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10074577biostudies-literatureUnknown34(3)<h4>Background</h4>Epidemiologic evidence linking prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with altered neurodevelopment is inconclusive, and few large studies have focused on autism-related outcomes. We investigated whether blood concentrations of PFAS in pregnancy are associated with child autism-related outcomes.<h4>Methods</h4>We included 10 cohorts from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program (n = 1,429). We measured 14 PFAS analytes in maternal blood collected during pregnancy; eight analytes met detection criteria for analysis. We assessed quantitative autism-related traits in children via parent report on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). In multivariable linear models, we examined relationships of each PFAS (natural log-transformed) with SRS scores. We further modeled PFAS as a complex mixture using Bayesian methods and examined modification of these relationships by child sex.<h4>Results</h4>Most PFAS in maternal blood were not associated with child SRS T-scores. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) showed the strongest and most consistent association: each 1-unit increase in ln-transformed PFNA was associated with greater autism-related traits (adjusted β [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.5 [-0.1, 3.0]). The summed mixture, which included six PFAS detected in >70% of participants, was not associated with SRS T-scores (adjusted β [95% highest posterior density interval] = 0.7 [-1.4, 3.0]). We did not observe consistent evidence of sex differences.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Prenatal blood concentrations of PFNA may be associated with modest increases in child autism-related traits. Future work should continue to examine the relationship between exposures to both legacy and emerging PFAS and additional dimensional, quantitative measures of childhood autism-related outcomes.Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)Prenatal Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Childhood Autism-related Outcomes.PMC10074577UG3 OD023318K99 ES032481P30 ES030284R24 ES029490U24 OD023319UG3 OD023272UH3 OD023272UH3 OD023275U2C OD023375UH3 OD023318U24 OD023382U2C ES026542R01 HD083369UG3 OD023348P30 ES010126R01 ES027051P20 GM104416UH3 OD023289UH3 OD023365UH3 OD023342UH3 OD023286UH3 OD023348UH3 OD023248P01 ES022841R00 ES032481UH3 OD023349Lyall KBraun JMDunlop ALZhu YOh JLin PDWoodruff TJCroen LAO'Connor TGBurjak MMorello-Frosch RAmes JLLiang DAvalos LAKaragas MRFry RCBulka CMMoore BFerrara Aprogram collaborators for Environmental influences on Child Health OutcomesPadula AMHamra GBHedderson MMfalsePrenatal Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Childhood Autism-related Outcomes.<h4>Background</h4>Epidemiologic evidence linking prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with altered neurodevelopment is inconclusive, and few large studies have focused on autism-related outcomes. We investigated whether blood concentrations of PFAS in pregnancy are associated with child autism-related outcomes.<h4>Methods</h4>We included 10 cohorts from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program (n = 1,429). We measured 14 PFAS analytes in maternal blood collected during pregnancy; eight analytes met detection criteria for analysis. We assessed quantitative autism-related traits in children via parent report on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). In multivariable linear models, we examined relationships of each PFAS (natural log-transformed) with SRS scores. We further modeled PFAS as a complex mixture using Bayesian methods and examined modification of these relationships by child sex.<h4>Results</h4>Most PFAS in maternal blood were not associated with child SRS T-scores. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) showed the strongest and most consistent association: each 1-unit increase in ln-transformed PFNA was associated with greater autism-related traits (adjusted β [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.5 [-0.1, 3.0]). The summed mixture, which included six PFAS detected in >70% of participants, was not associated with SRS T-scores (adjusted β [95% highest posterior density interval] = 0.7 [-1.4, 3.0]). We did not observe consistent evidence of sex differences.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Prenatal blood concentrations of PFNA may be associated with modest increases in child autism-related traits. Future work should continue to examine the relationship between exposures to both legacy and emerging PFAS and additional dimensional, quantitative measures of childhood autism-related outcomes.2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 May2025-04-21T15:12:41.82Z2025-02-19T02:04:14.362ZS-EPMC100745773663044410.1097/ede.000000000000158710.1097/EDE.0000000000001587