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Published on: March 6, 2018
Fetal phthalates and bisphenols and childhood lipid and glucose metabolism. A population-based prospective cohort
Chalana M Sol1, Susana Santos1, Liesbeth Duijts1
1The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Paediatrics, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Insights
Fetal exposure to phthalates and bisphenols may affect children's metabolism. Maternal phthalate and bisphenol levels during pregnancy were linked to altered lipid, glucose, and insulin levels in boys at school age.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Metabolic Health
Background:
- Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like phthalates and bisphenols are environmental contaminants.
- Fetal exposure to EDCs may induce metabolic adaptations with long-term consequences.
- Understanding the impact of prenatal EDC exposure on child metabolic health is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal urinary concentrations of phthalates and bisphenols during pregnancy and offspring's lipid, glucose, and insulin levels at school age.
- To explore potential sex-specific effects of prenatal EDC exposure on metabolic parameters.
Main Methods:
- Population-based prospective cohort study of 757 mother-child pairs.
- Maternal urine samples collected during first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy.
- Child blood samples analyzed for non-fasting lipids, glucose, and insulin at mean age 9.7 years.
Main Results:
- Higher third-trimester maternal phthalic acid concentration associated with increased triglycerides in boys.
- Higher second-trimester maternal high molecular weight phthalates (HMWP) and di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) associated with lower glucose in boys.
- Higher third-trimester maternal bisphenol F concentration associated with lower insulin in boys.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal exposure to certain phthalates and bisphenols may have persistent, sex-specific effects on childhood lipid and glucose metabolism.
- Findings highlight the potential for EDCs to disrupt normal metabolic development.
- Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and elucidate underlying mechanisms.
Background And Aims:
Fetal exposure to endocrine disruptors such as phthalates and bisphenols may lead to developmental metabolic adaptations. We examined associations of maternal phthalate and bisphenol urine concentrations during pregnancy with lipids, insulin, and glucose concentrations at school age.
Methods:
In a population-based, prospective cohort study among 757 mother-child pairs, we measured maternal phthalate and bisphenol urine concentrations in first, second and third trimester of pregnancy. We measured non-fasting lipids, glucose and insulin blood concentrations of their children at a mean age of 9.7 (standard deviation 0.2) years. Analyses were performed for boys and girls separately.
Results:
An interquartile range (IQR) higher natural log transformed third trimester maternal urine phthalic acid concentration was associated with a 0.20 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07-0.34) standard deviation score (SDS) higher triglycerides concentration among boys. Maternal bisphenol urine concentrations were not associated with non-fasting lipid concentrations during childhood. An IQR higher natural log transformed second trimester maternal high molecular weight phthalates (HMWP) and di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) urine concentration were associated with a 0.19 (95% CI 0.31-0.07) respectively 0.18 (95% CI 0.31-0.06) SDS lower glucose concentration among boys. An IQR higher natural log transformed third trimester maternal bisphenol F urine concentration was associated with a 0.22 (95% CI 0.35-0.09) SDS lower non-fasting insulin concentration among boys.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest potential persisting sex specific effects of fetal exposure to phthalates and bisphenols on childhood lipid concentrations and glucose metabolism. Future studies are needed for replication and exploring underlying mechanisms.
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