Maternal prenatal urinary bisphenol A level and child cardio-metabolic risk factors: A prospective cohort study

Abstract

Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals during the first 1000 days of life may have long-lasting adverse effects on cardio-metabolic risk in later life. This study aimed to examine the associations between maternal prenatal Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure and child cardio-metabolic risk factors at age 2 years in a prospective cohort. During 2012–2013, 218 pregnant women were enrolled at late pregnancy from Shanghai, China. Urinary BPA concentration was measured in prenatal and child 2-year spot urine samples, and classified into high, medium and low tertiles. Child adiposity anthropometric measurements, random morning plasma glucose, serum insulin, and lipids (high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, triglyceride), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured. Linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between prenatal BPA and each of the cardio-metabolic risk factors in boys and girls, respectively, adjusting for pertinent prenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors. BPA was detectable (>0.1 μg/L) in 98.2% of mothers prenatally and 99.4% of children at age 2 years. Compared to those with low prenatal BPA, mean SBP was 7.0 (95%CI: 2.9–11.2) mmHg higher, and DBP was 4.4 (95%CI: 1.2–7.5) mmHg higher in girls with high prenatal BPA levels, but these associations were not found in boys. In boys, medium maternal prenatal BPA level was associated with 0.36 (95% CI: 0.04–0.68) mmol/L higher plasma glucose. No associations were found between prenatal BPA and child BMI, skinfold thicknesses, serum lipids, or insulin in either girls or boys. There were no associations between concurrent child urinary BPA and cardio-metabolic risk factors. These results support that BPA exposure during prenatal period, susceptible time for fetal development, may be associated with increase in child BP and plasma glucose in a sex-specific manner. Further independent cohort studies are needed to confirm the findings.

The Current Findings on the Impact of Prenatal BPA Exposure on Metabolic Parameters: In Vivo and Epidemiological Evidence

“…In contrast, in girls, the plasma glucose level was lower (0.26 mmol/L) with moderate prenatal BPA levels; however, the difference was not significant. The study also showed no associations between prenatal BPA exposure and children's body weight, BMI, skinfold thickness, serum lipid levels, or insulin levels in children aged two years old, either for girls or boys [69].…”

New insights on the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on children

“…BPA exposure during pre-natal period was associated with increased blood pressure in girls and plasma glucose in boys. 69 Adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome were found to have significantly higher BPA levels when compared with the control group. 70 …”

Maternal Pre-Pregnancy Nutritional Status and Infant Birth Weight in Relation to 0–2 Year-Growth Trajectory and Adiposity in Term Chinese Newborns with Appropriate Birth Weight-for-Gestational Age

“…At age 12 and 24 months, weight, length, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and skinfold thickness were measured by study nurses according to the WHO protocol, and described elsewhere [20]. With 70-90% of total adipose tissue located subcutaneously, skinfold thickness can be used to reflect total body fat [21].…”