Urinary bisphenol A concentrations and ovarian response among women undergoing IVF

Abstract

Summary Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical used in the manufacture of materials present in many common consumer products. In experimental animals, BPA caused oocyte aneuploidy and reduced production of oestradiol. In a prospective cohort study, we investigated the association between urinary BPA concentrations and ovarian response among women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Fertility Center. The geometric mean of two specific-gravity (SG) adjusted urinary BPA concentrations collected during each IVF cycle was used as the cycle-specific BPA exposure level. BPA concentrations were measured using online solid phase extraction coupled to isotope dilution-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Peak serum oestradiol was measured using the Elecsys Estradiol II immunoassay kit. Multivariable mixed effect models and Poisson regression models adjusting for correlation between multiple IVF cycles in the same woman were used to evaluate the association between urinary BPA concentrations and ovarian response, adjusting for age, BMI and day 3 follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, a clinical measure of ovarian reserve. Urinary BPA concentrations were measured in 84 women (mean age 35.6 years) undergoing 112 IVF cycles; 23 women (27%) contributed more than one IVF cycle. BPA concentrations ranged from <0.4 to 25.5 μg/L (geometric mean 2.52 ± SD 3.2); 15% of urine samples had concentrations <0.4 μg/L. Peak serum oestradiol levels correlated with the total number of oocytes retrieved per cycle (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). For each log unit increase in SG-BPA, there was an average decrease of 12% (95% CI: 4, 23%; p = 0.007) in the number of oocytes retrieved and an average decrease of 213 pg/ml (95% CI: −407, −20; p = 0.03) in peak oestradiol. BPA was detected in the urine of the majority of women undergoing IVF, and was inversely associated with number of oocytes retrieved and peak oestradiol levels.

Low dose effects of bisphenol A

“…5D). [218][219][220][221][222]267 Thus, collectively, these studies suggest that low dose BPA exposure exerts adverse effects on growing follicles in the adult ovary.…”

“…Several prospective IVF cohort studies examined associations between BPA and early IVF outcomes in women. [218][219][220][221][222] Significant negative associations between BPA and peak ovarian estradiol were observed in multiple cohorts, although other associations were only observed in a single cohort (i.e., oocyte yield, and other downstream IVF outcomes). In one cohort, later reproductive endpoints (i.e., embryo implantation) were negatively associated with urinary BPA concentrations.…”

Dietary Folate and Reproductive Success Among Women Undergoing Assisted Reproduction

“…Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was administered approximately 36 hr before the scheduled egg-retrieval procedure to induce ovulation. Details of egg retrieval have been previously described (18). …”

Effects of Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals on Female Reproductive Health

“…It has also been found in detectable amounts in dust [193 -196]. Urine BPA levels of women undergoing infertility treatment is negatively correlated with the number and quality of eggs retrieved, and with serum E 2 levels [197,198]. BPA has been shown to have estrogenic properties and that it can be transferred both lactationally and transplacentally [190,199].…”

“…Another effect of BPA is exerted at the level of oogenesis and is of very high concern [197]. Studies from Hunt and colleagues demonstrated that BPA released from damaged animal cages and water bottles, which were inadvertently treated with harsh alkaline detergent, induced defects in the meiotic prophase stage of oocyte development in mice: oocytes had increased levels of meiotic aneuploidy due to congression failure.…”