Tetrachloroethylene in drinking water and birth outcomes at the US marine corps base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

A study of mean birth weight, small-for-gestational-age infants, and preter m birth was conducted at the US Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, North Ca rolina, where drinking water was contaminated with volatile organic compoun ds. Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) was the predominant contaminant. The authors used multiple linear and logistic regression to analyze 1968-1985 data from 11,798 birth certificates. Overall, at most weak associations were observe d between PCE exposure and study outcomes. However, associations were found between PCE exposure and birth-weight outcomes for infants of older mother s and mothers with histories of fetal loss. Adjusted mean birth-weight diff erences between PCE-exposed and unexposed infants were -130 g (90% confiden ce interval (Cl): -236, -23) for mothers aged 35 years or older and -104 g (90% Cl: -174, -34) for mothers with two or more previous fetal losses. Adj usted odds ratios for PCE exposure and small-for-gestational-age infants we re 2.1 (90% Cl: 0.9, 4.9) for older mothers and 2.5 (90% Cl: 1.5, 4.3) for mothers with two or more prior fetal losses. These results suggest that som e fetuses may be more vulnerable than others to chemical insult.