Phthalate and bisphenol exposure during pregnancy and offspring nonverbal IQ
article
BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposures to phthalates and bisphenols are associated with impaired brain development in animals. However, epidemiological studies investigating the association between prenatal phthalate or bisphenol exposure and cognition have produced mixed findings and mostly had modest sample sizes and measured the exposure during the third trimester. OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between pregnancy maternal urinary biomarkers of phthalate or bisphenol exposure and nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ) in children 6 years of age. METHOD: The study sample consisted of 1,282 mother–child pairs participating in the Generation R Study, a population-based birth cohort in Rotterdam, Netherlands (enrollment 2002–2006). We measured maternal urinary concentrations of 18 phthalate metabolites and 8 bisphenols at <18, 18–25, and >25 wks of gestation. Child nonverbal IQ was measured at 6 years of age using the Snijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test– Revised. Linear regression models were fit for each of the three collection phases separately, the three collection phases jointly, and for the averaged prenatal exposure across pregnancy. RESULTS: Higher urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites during early pregnancy were associated with lower child nonverbal IQ score [e.g., B per 10-fold increase in summed low-molecular weight phthalates = −1:7 (95% CI: −3:1, −0:3)]. This association remained unchanged when adjusted for mid and late pregnancy exposures. We also observed an inverse association between late pregnancy di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) exposure and nonverbal IQ. Maternal urinary concentrations of bisphenols were not associated with child nonverbal IQ. There was no effect estimate modification by sex. CONCLUSIONS: We did not observe that maternal biomarkers of bisphenol exposure are associated with nonverbal IQ. We found that phthalate exposure in early pregnancy and DNOP exposure in late pregnancy are associated with lower nonverbal IQ scores in children. Our results might suggest that particularly early pregnancy is a sensitive window of phthalate exposure, but future studies are needed to replicate our findings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6047. © 2020, Public Health Services, US Dept of Health and Human Services. All rights reserved. Chemicals / CAS 4,4' isopropylidenediphenol, 80-05-7; phthalic acid, 88-99-3; phthalic acid bis(2 ethylhexyl) ester, 117-81-7; phthalic acid dioctyl ester, 117-84-0; phthalic anhydride, 85-44-9; Benzhydryl Compounds; bisphenol A; Phenols; phthalic acid; Phthalic Acids
Topics
4,4' isopropylidenediphenolbiological markerhigh molecular weight phthalatelow molecular weight phthalatephthalic acidphthalic acid bis(2 ethylhexyl) esterphthalic acid dioctyl esterphthalic anhydrideunclassified drug4,4' isopropylidenediphenolbenzhydryl derivativephenol derivativephthalic acidphthalic acid derivativealcohol consumptionbody massbrain developmentcognitioncohort analysiscreatinine urine leveleducationethnicityfirst trimester pregnancyfollow upfood intakegestational ageheredityhigh performance liquid chromatographyhousehold incomeintelligence quotientintelligence testkidney concentrating capacityliquid liquid extractionmajor clinical studymarriagenerve cell differentiationneurotoxicitynonverbal communicationpregnancyprenatal exposurepreschool childpriority journalprogenyprospective studysensitivity analysissmokingSnijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Testsolid phase extractiontandem mass spectrometrythird trimester pregnancytoxicityurinalysisyoung adultblooddrug effectepidemiologyBenzhydryl CompoundsChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansIntelligenceIntelligence TestsMaleMaternal ExposureNetherlandsPhenolsPhthalic AcidsPregnancyPrenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
TNO Identifier
955286
ISSN
00916765
Source
Environmental Health Perspectives, 128(7), pp. 1-13.
Article nr.
077009
Pages
1-13