Exposure to airborne polychlorinated biphenyls and risk of uterine leiomyomata, endometriosis, and polycystic ovarian syndrome: A register-based Danish cohort study

Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg, Lauren A. Wise, Lauren Anne Wise, Amelia Kent Wesselink, Amelia K. Wesselink, Henriette Svarre Nielsen, Kajsa Ugelvig Petersen, Matthew P Fox, Marie Frederiksen, Esben Meulengracht Flachs, Harald William Meyer, Karin Sørig Hougaard, Karin Sørig ­Hougaard, Jens Peter Bonde, Laura Deen
Environmental toxicology and pharmacology · 2025 · vol. 117 , pp. 104738 · doi:10.1016/j.etap.2025.104738 · PMID:40451521 · W4410921503
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This Danish cohort study of 21,619 women found no association between airborne polychlorinated biphenyls from building materials and the risk of uterine leiomyomata, endometriosis, or polycystic ovarian syndrome.

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Abstract

To assess whether exposure to lower-chlorinated PCBs from building materials is associated with increased incidence of UL, endometriosis, and PCOS in female residents. We studied 21,619 residents of two Danish partially PCB-contaminated housing areas from 1970-2018. Combining register-based relocation history with indoor air measurements, we quantified annual cumulative exposure (PCB year ). Nationwide registers identified outcome diagnoses; Cox regression with time-varying exposure estimated hazard ratios (HR). During ≈380,000 person-years, we identified 662 incident UL, 199 endometriosis, and 190 PCOS cases. Median exposure was 56.3 PCB year (5-95 percentile: 0.3-4,952). Adjusted HRs per 4×interquartile range increase in PCB year (880 ng/m 3 ×year) showed no association with UL (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.96-1.02), endometriosis (0.96, 95% CI 0.90-1.02), or PCOS (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.93-1.03). This first study of gynecological risks from residential PCB exposure found no effect, though exposure misclassification and outcome underascertainment may have biased results towards the null. • PCBs in indoor air studied for association with gynecologic disorders. • Study included 21,619 female residents of partly PCB-contaminated housing in Copenhagen. • No increased risk found for UL, endometriosis, or PCOS from indoor PCB exposure. • Misclassification and underreporting may have influenced the study results. • No evidence of LC-PCBs affecting risk of gynecological conditions

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollutants Air Pollution, Indoor Air Pollution, Indoor

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