Abstract
BackgroundExposure to bisphenols may affect fetal growth and development. The trimester-specific effects of bisphenols on repeated measures of fetal growth remain unknown. Our objective was to assess the associations of maternal bisphenol urine concentrations with fetal growth measures and birth outcomes and identify potential critical exposure periods.MethodsIn a population-based prospective cohort study among 1379 pregnant women, we measured maternal bisphenol A, S and F urine concentrations in the first, second and third trimester. Fetal head circumference, length and weight were measured in the second and third trimester by ultrasound and at birth.ResultsAn interquartile range increase in maternal pregnancy-averaged bisphenol S concentrations was associated with larger fetal head circumference (difference 0.18 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01 to 0.34) standard deviation scores (SDS), p-value< 0.05) across pregnancy. When focusing on specific critical exposure periods, any detection of first trimester bisphenol S was associated with larger second and third trimester fetal head circumference (difference 0.15 (95% CI 0.05 to 0.26) and 0.12 (95% CI 0.02 to 0.23) SDS, respectively) and fetal weight (difference 0.12 (95% CI 0.02 to 0.22) and 0.16 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.26) SDS, respectively). The other bisphenols were not consistently associated with fetal growth outcomes. Any detection of bisphenol S and bisphenol F in first trimester was also associated with a lower risk of being born small size for gestational age (Odds Ratio 0.56 (95% CI 0.38 to 0.74) and 0.55 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.85), respectively). Bisphenols were not associated with risk of preterm birth.ConclusionsHigher maternal bisphenol S urine concentrations, especially in the first trimester, seem to be related with larger fetal head circumference, higher weight and a lower risk of being small size for gestational age at birth.
Highlights
Exposure to bisphenols may affect fetal growth and development
The availability of multiple measurements of bisphenol urine concentrations during pregnancy might allow the study of trimesterspecific effects of bisphenols on repeated measures of fetal growth, which would enable identification of critical exposure periods and detection of fetal growth variation that might not be captured with single measurements
Among 1379 women participating in a population-based cohort study, the associations of bisphenol urine concentrations at three time points in pregnancy, with fetal head circumference, length and weight measured at two time points during pregnancy and at birth and with the risks of preterm birth and being born small size for gestational age
Summary
Exposure to bisphenols may affect fetal growth and development. The trimester-specific effects of bisphenols on repeated measures of fetal growth remain unknown. Our objective was to assess the associations of maternal bisphenol urine concentrations with fetal growth measures and birth outcomes and identify potential critical exposure periods. Two meta-analyses of published studies reported no associations of fetal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) with weight, length or head circumference at birth, while another reported positive associations with birth weight [6,7,8]. To fully capture fetal growth variation, analyses on repeated measures of fetal growth are needed To our knowledge, this has only been assessed in two studies investigating BPA but not its substitutes. The availability of multiple measurements of bisphenol urine concentrations during pregnancy might allow the study of trimesterspecific effects of bisphenols on repeated measures of fetal growth, which would enable identification of critical exposure periods and detection of fetal growth variation that might not be captured with single measurements
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