Early Prenatal Nitrate Exposure and Birth Outcomes: A Study of Iowa’s Public Drinking Water (1970-1988)

Abstract

Background Despite the biological mechanisms linking prenatal nitrate exposure to birth outcomes, epidemiological research has been inconclusive. The evidence-base has been limited by where and how nitrate exposure was measured, and the spurious correlation between geotemporal nitrate heterogeneity and unmeasurable factors contributing to gestational age and birth weight. Objective We linked Iowa water quality data and birth records to estimate the independent association between early prenatal nitrate exposure and birth outcomes. Methods Accessing Community Water Supply Quality Data, we calculated the median nitrate (mg/L) level for each county-date. With birth certificate microdata from the National Center for Health Statistics, we linked every Iowa birth (1970-1988) to a county-level nitrate measure within thirty days of conception. The outcomes were gestational age (weeks), preterm birth (< 37 weeks), birth weight (g), and low birth weight (< 2500 g). Nitrate exposure was first measured as a "dose-response" continuous variable, then as four binary variables (>10 mg/L, >5 mg/L, > 0.1 mg/L, > 0.0 mg/L). We constructed linear regression models which controlled for maternal and paternal characteristics, and county-year and year-month fixed-effects to account for unobservable annual variation between counties and longitudinal variation within all counties. Results Among 357,741 births, mean nitrate exposure was 4.2 mg/L. Early prenatal exposure to >0.1 mg/L nitrate was associated preterm birth (Est. = +0.66%-points; C.I. = 0.31, 1.01). Early prenatal exposure to 5 mg/L nitrate was associated with low birth weight (Est. = +0.33%-points; C.I. = 0.03, 0.63). The associations between elevated exposure to nitrate and any birth outcomes did not differ from lower levels of exposure. Discussion Prenatal exposure to nitrate below the >10 mg/L standard may cause harm. Since establishing this standard in 1992, groundwater nitrate levels have risen. Our results warrant greater scholarly and policymaking attention to understand and combat the adverse effects of nitrate.