Maternal Exposure to Tap Water Disinfection By-Products and Risk of Selected Congenital Heart Defects

Background

The use of chlorine to treat drinking water produces disinfection by-products (DBPs), which have been associated with congenital heart defects (CHDs) in some studies.

Methods

Using National Birth Defects Prevention Study data, we linked geocoded residential addresses to public water supply measurement data for DBPs. Self-reported water consumption and filtration methods were used to estimate maternal ingestion of DBPs. We estimated adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals using logistic regression controlling for maternal age, education, body mass index (BMI), race/ethnicity, and study site to examine associations between CHDs and both household DBP level and estimated ingestion of DBPs.

Results

Household DBP exposure was assessed for 2717 participants (1495 cases and 1222 controls). We observed a broad range of positive, null, and negative estimates across eight specific CHDs and two summary exposures (trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids) plus nine individual DBP species. Examining ingestion exposure among 2488 participants (1347 cases, 1141 controls) produced similarly inconsistent results.

Conclusions

Assessing both household DBP level and estimated ingestion of DBPs, we did not find strong evidence of an association between CHDs and DBPs. Despite a large study population, DBP measurements were available for less than half of participant addresses, limiting study power.