Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 3, 2026
Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
[Association between early pregnancy bisphenol A exposure and sleep problems among preschool children]
1Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei 230032, China.
Insights
Maternal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) during early pregnancy is linked to increased sleep problems in preschool girls. Boys showed no significant association, suggesting a potential sex-specific effect of BPA on child sleep development.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Toxicology
Background:
- Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical with widespread human exposure.
- Prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals is a growing concern for child neurodevelopment and health.
- Sleep problems in early childhood can have long-term implications for development and well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy and sleep problems in preschool children.
- To determine if this association differs by child's sex.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 1,259 mother-child pairs from the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (Ma'anshan Cohort) was analyzed.
- Maternal serum BPA concentrations were measured in early pregnancy and categorized into low, medium, and high exposure groups.
- Multivariate multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between BPA exposure and preschool children's sleep problems, adjusting for confounders.
Main Results:
- Maternal high BPA exposure during early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of occasional sleep problems in preschool children (OR=1.44, 95% CI: 1.01-2.06).
- In girls, both medium and high BPA exposure were linked to occasional sleep problems (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 1.05-2.46; OR=2.40, 95% CI: 1.42-4.04, respectively).
- High BPA exposure was also associated with frequent sleep problems in girls (OR=2.64, 95% CI: 1.34-5.17), while no significant associations were found in boys.
Conclusions:
- Maternal bisphenol A exposure in early pregnancy may be a risk factor for sleep problems in preschool children, particularly girls.
- The findings suggest a potential sex-specific effect of prenatal BPA exposure on sleep disturbances.
- Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and explore underlying biological mechanisms.
Abstract:
Objective: To analyze the association between maternal bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy and sleep problems among preschool children. Methods: Research subjects were from one of the sub-cohorts(Ma'anshan Cohort) of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (C-ABCS) in Ma'anshan city. The basic situation of pregnant women and sleep information of preschool children were investigated. We selected preschool children whose mother's maternal serum bisphenol A concentrations of the first trimester had been already detected between December 2012 to Januray 2014. 1 259 pairs of mothers and children were included. The concentrations of bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy were divided into low, medium and high exposure groups according to 25(th) percentile (P(25)) and 75(th) percentile (P(75)) levels. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between maternal bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy and sleep-related problems in preschool children. Results: The P(50) (P(25)-P(75)) of serum bisphenol A exposure level during early pregnancy was 0.231 (0.106-0.512) ng/ml. The sleep-related problems scores of 1 259 preschool children were (16.43±3.82) points. The occasional sleep-related problems were detected about 47.8% (602 cases) and frequent sleep-related problems were detected about 18.3% (230 cases). After the adjustment of the confounding factors such as children's gender, age, BMI, sleep position (lying down, sleeping on one's back), the length of time to sleep and the length of sleep at night, in comparison with bisphenol A low exposure group, the OR (95%CI) value of preschool children with occasional sleep-related problems in maternal bisphenol A high exposure group during early pregnancy was 1.44 (1.01-2.06). After the gender stratification, the results showed that in comparison with bisphenol A low exposure group, the OR (95%CI) value of preschool girls with occasional sleep-related problems in maternal bisphenol A medium and high exposure group during early pregnancy were 1.61 (1.05-2.46) and 2.40 (1.42-4.04), respectively. The OR (95%CI) value of preschool girls with frequent sleep-related problems in maternal bisphenol A high exposure group during early pregnancy was 2.64 (1.34-5.17). However, in boys, there was no statistically significant association between maternal bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy and sleep-related problems (P>0.05). Conclusion: Maternal bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy might be related to sleep-related problems in preschool children.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
01:22Stages of Sleep
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
01:11Understanding Sleep
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
01:21Sleep Apnea
The condition is more prevalent among...
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
01:27Associative Learning
Classical conditioning, also known...