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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Predictors of bisphenol A exposure in pregnant women of the Barwon Infant Study
Eva J Sugeng1, Sarah Thomson2, James Hedley3
1Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Insights
Pregnant women
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Endocrinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a widespread endocrine disruptor linked to adverse health effects, especially with early-life exposure.
- Understanding exposure sources during pregnancy is crucial for maternal and infant health.
- Existing research often focuses on dietary intake, potentially overlooking other significant exposure pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between various exposure sources (diet, food preparation, personal care products, home environment) and measured urinary BPA concentrations in pregnant women.
- To identify key predictors of BPA levels during pregnancy.
- To inform targeted interventions for reducing BPA exposure.
Main Methods:
- Maternal urine samples from 842 pregnant women (Barwon Infant Study, 2010-2013) were analyzed for BPA.
- Exposure sources were assessed using questionnaires covering diet, food preparation, personal care product use, and home environment factors.
- Statistical analyses explored associations between reported exposures and urinary BPA concentrations.
Main Results:
- 54% of women had measurable urinary BPA concentrations.
- Higher BPA levels were associated with whole-foods dietary patterns, introducing raw foods to infants, renovation activities, and use of spray/dermal products (e.g., insect repellent).
- Increased household cleaning frequency showed a negative association with BPA levels. Efforts to avoid BPA did not significantly lower concentrations.
Conclusions:
- BPA exposure in pregnant women originates from diverse sources beyond diet, including inhalation and dermal absorption from the home and personal care products.
- Household cleaning practices represent a modifiable factor for reducing population-level BPA exposure.
- Findings highlight the need for comprehensive strategies to mitigate BPA exposure in pregnant women and women of reproductive age.
Abstract:
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a widely used chemical used in plastic and an endocrine disruptor ubiquitous in most developed settings. Exposure, particularly in early life, is implicated in a range of negative health outcomes. This study assessed whether various sources of BPA exposure in pregnant women, including diet, food preparation practices and personal care product use, are relevant predictors of measured BPA concentrations. Exposures were assessed via questionnaires. Maternal urine samples from 842 mothers were collected in trimester 3 and analysed for five bisphenols from the Barwon Infant Study, (infants born 2010-2013). Measurable BPA concentrations were detected in 54% of women. Positive associations with urinary BPA concentrations were observed for food-related factors, including a contemporaneous whole-foods dietary pattern and the proportion of raw foods introduced to the infant at 12 months, as well as renovation activities and use of dermal or spray products such as insect repellents. In contrast, cleaning frequency was negatively associated with BPA concentrations. Notably, women who reported attempting to reduce or avoid BPA exposure during pregnancy did not have lower urinary BPA concentrations. Findings show that BPA exposure goes beyond dietary and other ingestion-related factors, also occur via inhalation and skin absorption from the home environment and personal care products, respectively. Household cleaning practices offer a potential opportunity to reduce population-level exposure. The knowledge generated here will inform the design of bisphenol-reducing interventions for pregnant women or women of reproductive age.
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