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Early Pregnancy Targeted Exposome: Biological Response and Maternal BMI.
Nadia Saadat1, Soundara Viveka Thangaraj1, Jasmin Chovatiya2
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, 7510 MSRB 1, 1500 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Toxics
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Maternal body mass index (BMI) influences exposure to environmental chemicals during pregnancy. High BMI alters chemical concentrations and their associations with stress markers, impacting pregnancy outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Reproductive Biology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Pregnancy involves physiological changes that can increase susceptibility to environmental chemicals.
- Maternal high body mass index (BMI) may alter metabolic, inflammatory, and hormonal states, potentially influencing toxicant effects on pregnancy.
- Understanding how BMI modulates chemical exposure and biological responses is crucial for maternal and infant health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of maternal BMI on urinary exposomes during early pregnancy.
- To assess how BMI affects the associations between chemical exposures and biomarkers of oxidative stress and glucocorticoids.
- To determine if BMI modifies the relationship between chemical exposures and pregnancy outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Profiling of targeted urinary exposomes (96 chemicals) and stress biomarkers in 119 pregnant women from the Michigan Mother-Infant Pair cohort.
- Categorization of women into high BMI (≥ 25) and low BMI (< 25) groups.
- Statistical analysis to examine associations between chemical exposures, stress markers, and pregnancy outcomes, stratified by BMI.
Main Results:
- Women with high BMI exhibited lower urinary concentrations of certain chemicals compared to women with low BMI.
- Specific chemical classes (phytoestrogens, PAHs, insect repellents) showed stronger positive associations with stress markers in the high-BMI group.
- Other chemical classes (UV filters, flame retardants, phthalates) showed stronger associations with oxidative stress in the low-BMI group.
- The relationship between exposure markers, stress markers, and pregnancy outcomes (gestational age, birthweight) varied significantly based on maternal BMI.
Conclusions:
- Maternal BMI is a significant factor that shapes the exposome and its biological impact during pregnancy.
- The study underscores the need to consider maternal BMI when evaluating chemical exposure burdens and their health consequences.
- Incorporating BMI into exposure assessments can provide a more accurate understanding of risks to pregnancy outcomes.
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