Sex-Specific and Trimester-Specific Associations of Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenols, Parabens, and Triclosan with Neonatal Birth Size and Gestational Age

Abstract

Bisphenols, parabens, and triclosan (TCS) are common endocrine disrupters used in various consumer products. These chemicals have been shown to cross the placental barrier and affect intrauterine development of fetuses. In this study, we quantified serum levels of six bisphenols, five parabens, and TCS in 483 pregnant women from southern China. Quantile-based g-computation showed that combined exposure to bisphenols, parabens, and TCS was significantly (p < 0.05) and negatively associated with birth weight (β = −39.9, 95% CI: −73.8, −6.1), birth length (β = −0.19, 95% CI: −0.34, −0.04), head circumference (β = −0.13, 95% CI: −0.24, −0.02), and thoracic circumference (β = −0.16, 95% CI: −0.29, −0.04). An inverse correlation was also identified between mixture exposure and gestational age (β = −0.12, 95% CI: −0.24, −0.01). Bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol Z (BPZ), bisphenol AP (BPAP), propylparaben (PrP), and TCS served as the dominant contributors to the overall effect. In subgroup analyses, male newborns were more susceptible to mixture exposure than females, whereas the exposure–outcome link was prominent among pregnant women in the first and second trimesters. More evidence is warranted to elucidate the impacts of exposure to mixtures on birth outcomes, as well as the underlying mechanisms.