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Prenatal exposure to phthalates and its effects upon cognitive and motor functions: A systematic review
María Isabel Martínez-Martínez1, Antoni Alegre-Martínez2, Omar Cauli1
1Department of Nursing, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Frailty and Cognitive Impairment Group (FROG), University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Insights
Maternal exposure to phthalates during pregnancy may negatively impact infant cognitive and motor development, particularly in boys. Further research is needed to understand these effects and potential sex differences.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Developmental Toxicology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Phthalates are common chemicals in consumer products linked to hormonal disruption.
- Prenatal phthalate exposure is a growing concern for infant neurodevelopment.
- Previous studies suggest potential adverse effects on cognitive and motor skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the scientific literature on the association between prenatal phthalate exposure and child neurodevelopment.
- To synthesize findings on cognitive and motor outcomes in infants exposed to phthalates during pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted on electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus).
- Keywords used included "phthalate", "cognitive", and "motor".
- The search covered literature from database inception to March 2021.
Main Results:
- Most studies indicate an inverse relationship between maternal urinary phthalate levels and child cognitive/motor scores.
- These associations were often more pronounced in boys than in girls.
- Some studies reported non-significant or even positive associations, particularly with third-trimester exposure.
Conclusions:
- Evidence suggests a clear link between prenatal phthalate exposure and poorer neurocognitive outcomes.
- Policies to reduce phthalate exposure during pregnancy are warranted.
- Further research should explore sex-specific effects, motor coordination, and exposure during breastfeeding.
Abstract:
Phthalates are chemicals widely used in packaging and consumer products, which have been shown to interfere with normal hormonal function and development in some human and animal studies. In recent decades, pregnant women's exposure to phthalates has been shown to alter the cognitive outcomes of their babies, and some studies have found delays in motor development.
Methods:
electronic databases including PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus were searched from their inception to March 2021, using the keywords "phthalate", "cognitive" and "motor".
Results:
most studies find statistically significant inverse relationships between maternal urinary phthalate concentration during pregnancy and subsequent outcomes in children's cognitive and motor scales, especially in boys rather than girls. However, many associations are not significant, and there were even positive associations, especially in the third trimester.
Conclusion:
the relationship between exposure to phthalates during pregnancy and low results on neurocognitive scales is sufficiently clear to adopt policies to reduce exposure. Further studies are needed to analyze sex differences, coordination and motor scales, and phthalate levels during breastfeeding.
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