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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
07:08
Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Prenatal bisphenol A exposure and early childhood behavior
Joe M Braun1, Kimberly Yolton, Kim N Dietrich
1Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Environmental Health Perspectives
|January 6, 2010
Summary
Prenatal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure is linked to increased externalizing behaviors in 2-year-old children, particularly girls. Early pregnancy BPA levels showed a stronger association with these behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Developmental Psychology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) has been shown to affect offspring behavior in rodents.
- Understanding the impact of BPA on human child development is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prenatal BPA exposure and behavioral outcomes in 2-year-old children.
- To determine if the timing of BPA exposure during gestation influences behavioral development.
Main Methods:
- Maternal urine samples were collected during pregnancy and at birth from 249 mother-child pairs.
- BPA concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-isotope-dilution tandem mass spectrometry.
- Child behavior was assessed at age 2 using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC-2), with analysis via linear regression.
Main Results:
- Prenatal BPA concentrations were associated with higher externalizing behavior scores in 2-year-old children, especially females.
- BPA exposure around 16 weeks of gestation showed a stronger association with externalizing behaviors compared to later exposures.
- Early gestational BPA measurements (
Conclusions:
- Prenatal BPA exposure may be associated with externalizing behaviors in young children.
- The findings suggest a potential sex-specific effect, with females showing a stronger association.
- The timing of exposure during early gestation appears to be a significant factor in behavioral outcomes.
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