Abstract
BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of phthalates exposure with thyroid function in pregnant women and their newborns.MethodsOne hundred and forty-eight Taiwanese maternal and infant pairs were recruited from E-Da hospital in southern Taiwan between 2009 and 2010 for analysis. One-spot urine samples and blood samples in the third trimester of pregnant women and their cord blood samples at delivery were collected. Nine phthalate metabolites in urine were determined by triple quadrupole liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, whereas serum from pregnant women and their cord blood were used to measure thyroid profiles (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH], thyroxine, free thyroxine, and triiodothyronine) by radioimmunoassay.ResultsMedian levels of urinary mono-n-butyl phthalate, mono-ethyl phthalate, and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (μg/g creatinine) were the three highest phthalate metabolites, which were 37.81, 34.51, and 21.73, respectively. Using Bonferroni correction at a significance of < 0.006, we found that urinary mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) levels were significantly and negatively associated with serum TSH in cord blood (β = -2.644, p = 0.003).ConclusionsMaternal urinary MBzP, of which the parental compound is butylbenzyl phthalate, may affect TSH activity in newborns. The alteration of thyroid homeostasis by certain phthalates in the early life, a critical period for neurodevelopment, is an urgent concern.
Highlights
Phthalates are ubiquitously present in the environment; they are widely added to cosmetics as a vehicle for fragrance and to many other daily products, such as paints, children’s toys, and medical device to make them soft and flexible.[1]
Using Bonferroni correction at a significance of < 0.006, we found that urinary mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) levels were significantly and negatively associated with serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in cord blood (β = -2.644, p = 0.003)
Because mono-isononyl phthalate (MiNP) was not detectable in all urine samples of our study subjects, we only presented the findings of the rest of the eight urinary phthalate metabolites
Summary
Phthalates are ubiquitously present in the environment; they are widely added to cosmetics as a vehicle for fragrance and to many other daily products, such as paints, children’s toys, and medical device to make them soft and flexible.[1]. Phthalates are commonly thought to disrupt endocrine function and adversely affect sex and thyroid hormones, reproduction, and neurodevelopment.[2,3,4,5] The thyroid hormone is considered one of the important hormones to maintain normal physiological function in humans, especially for the fetus and newborn. We examined the relationship of maternal phthalate exposure by measuring their metabolites in urine with cord thyroid hormones after considering thyroid functions in pregnant women themselves. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of phthalates exposure with thyroid function in pregnant women and their newborns
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