Effect of exposure to p,p´-DDE during the first half of pregnancy in the maternal thyroid profile of female residents in a Mexican floriculture area.

Background: Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (p,p´-DDE), the main metabolite of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), has been associated with changes in human thyroid hormone levels. Maternal thyroid hormones are essential for adequate fetal neurodevelopment during the first half of pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate the association between maternal p,p´-DDE concentration and the maternal thyroid profile during the first half of pregnancy.