Prenatal exposure to bisphenol-A and neurocognitive changes in children aged 2 to 5 years: a systematic review

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic organic compound considered an endocrine disruptor. Childhood exposure to BPA has been linked to impaired memory and learning, as well as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The aim of this study was to review the available literature on prenatal exposure to BPA and its relationship to the neurocognitive development of children aged 2-5 years. This systematic review (CRD42023494940 registration PROSPERO) was conducted between December 2023 and May 2024, following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) guidelines. The Web of Science, Embase, and PubMed databases were used for the search, with no publication date limit. The following terms, with the respective Boolean operators, were searched: ((bisphenol A) OR (BPA)) AND ((pregnancy) OR (pregnant woman)). Twenty-one longitudinal studies were selected for this review. Most studies have demonstrated negative effects of prenatal BPA exposure on the neurocognitive development of children aged 2-5 years. These results differed between the sexes, with females having lower emotional control, reduced language dominance and problem solving, and males having lower psychomotor development and higher prosocial behavior, among other differences. Overall, BPA exposure during pregnancy has been associated with hyperactivity, aggression, anxiety, depression, inattention, and sleep problems. It is concluded that maternal exposure to BPA during pregnancy results in adverse health effects in children aged 2-5 years, with impairments in their neurocognitive development.