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[A birth cohort study of the association between prenatal serum bisphenol A concentration and infant neurobehavior
Insights
Maternal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy is linked to impaired infant social and language development. This negative association is most pronounced in infants aged 12 to 18 months.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
- Toxicology
Background:
- Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical with widespread human exposure.
- Prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals may impact fetal development, including neurobehavior.
- Understanding the effects of BPA on infant neurobehavioral development is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal serum bisphenol A (BPA) levels during pregnancy and infant neurobehavioral development.
- To identify specific neurobehavioral domains affected by prenatal BPA exposure.
- To determine the critical window of vulnerability for BPA's neurodevelopmental effects.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study involving 931 mother-infant pairs from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort.
- Maternal serum BPA concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
- Infant neurobehavioral development was assessed using a standardized pediatric examination table; data were analyzed with generalized linear models.
Main Results:
- Maternal serum BPA levels during pregnancy were negatively associated with infant social behavior development (β [95% CI]: -2.42 [-4.71, -0.12]).
- This negative association was significant for language and social behavior developmental quotients in infants aged 12–18 months (β [95% CI]: -6.66 [-13.06, -0.25] and -7.40 [-12.97, -1.83], respectively).
- The detection rate of BPA in maternal serum was 84.1%.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) negatively impacts infant language and social behavior development.
- The critical window for these neurodevelopmental effects appears to be between 12 and 18 months of infant age.
- These findings highlight the potential risks of BPA exposure during pregnancy on child neurodevelopment.
Abstract:
Objective: To explore the association between maternal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure during pregnancy and neurobehavioral development in infant. Methods: Participants were from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort, which was established from October 2008 to October 2010 based on four municipal medical and health institutions in Ma'anshan. High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was applied for the determination of serum BPA concentration in 1 783 pregnant women sampled at their first filing, and during 2.97 to 28.1 months age of the infants. Neurobehavioral development were assessed by 0-6-year-old pediatric examination table of neuropsychological development. Generalized linear model was used to analyze the association between serum BPA levels during pregnancy and infants' neurobehavioral development. Results: A total of 931 mother-child pairs had complete data on serum BPA detection during pregnancy and assessment of infants' neurobehavioral development status. The age of pregnant women at their first filing was (26.67±3.45) years old, and the M (P25,P75) of serum BPA concentration (ng/ml) was 0.23 (0.11, 0.52), with a detection rate of 84.1% (783/931). The age of infants was (13.18±5.46) months, and 53.5% (498) were boys. The developmental quotient scores of large motor, fine motor, adaptive ability, language ability and social behaviors of infants were (97.88±16.32), (97.16±15.35), (99.64±15.47), (95.3±16.04) and (98.95±14.76) points, respectively. Generalized linear model showed that after adjusting for factors such as delivery mode, feeding mode, family per capita monthly income, preterm delivery, gender, maternal age, residence, pre-pregnancy body mass index and residence time, serum BPA level in pregnancy was negatively associated with infant's development of social behavior [β (95%CI):-2.42 (-4.71, -0.12)]. The post-stratification analysis by infant age revealed that the serum BPA level in pregnancy was only negatively associated with the development of language and social behavior developmental quotient scores in infants between the ages of 12 and 18 months, with β (95%CI) about -6.66 (-13.06, -0.25) and -7.401 (-12.97, -1.83), respectively. Conclusion: BPA exposure during pregnancy affects language and social behavior development in infants, and the detection window is between 12 and 18 months old of the infant.
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