ORIGINAL PAPER
Effect of environmental phthalate exposure on pregnancy duration and birth outcomes
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1
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland
(Department of Environmental Epidemiology)
2
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland
(Bureau of Quality Assurance)
Corresponding author
Kinga Polańska
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Department of Environmental Epidemiology, św. Teresy 8, 91-348 Łódź, Poland
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2016;29(4):683-97
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of phthalate exposure on pregnancy duration and birth
outcomes based on the Polish Mother and Child Cohort (REPRO_PL). Material and Methods: Phthalate exposure was
determined by measuring 11 phthalate metabolites (mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-iso-butyl phthalate (MiBP),
mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), 3OH-mono-n-butyl phthalate (OH-MnBP), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono‑
(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate
(MEOHP), mono-hydroxy-iso-nonyl phthalate (MHiNP), mono-oxo-iso-nonyl phthalate (MOiNP), and mono-n-octyl
phthalate (MOP)) in the urine collected from 165 mothers during the third trimester of pregnancy by high performance
liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The following measures at birth were considered:
gestational age, birth weight, length as well as head and chest circumference. Results: Pregnancy duration was inversely associated
with natural log concentrations (μg/g creatinine) of MEP (standardized regression coefficient (β) = –0.2, p = 0.04)
after adjustment for a variety of confounders. Significant impact of MOiNP on head circumference (β = –0.1, p = 0.05) was
also observed. Conclusions: The study findings add further support to the hypothesis that phthalate exposure may be associated
with shorter pregnancy duration and a decreased head circumference, and underscore importance of public health
interventions to reduce that exposure.