Urinary Phthalate Biomarkers during Pregnancy, and Maternal Endocrine Parameters in Association with Anthropometric Parameters of Newborns

Abstract

Adverse birth outcomes present risk factors resulting in neonatal morbidity and mortality. Sufficient maternal hormonal concentrations are crucial for normal foetal development. Previous studies have shown a relationship between phthalate exposure and maternal hormonal levels during pregnancy. This study aims to investigate if neonatal anthropometric parameters are associated with maternal endocrine parameters during the ≤15th week of gestation and the third trimester of pregnancy concerning phthalate exposure in pregnant women from Nitra, Slovakia. We used high-performance liquid chromatography, tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), and electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay to quantify urinary concentrations of phthalates and serum concentrations of hormones and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), respectively. We observed a mostly positive correlation between neonatal anthropometric parameters (gestational age, birth length, birth weight, head circumference) and maternal concentration of phthalate metabolites (p ≤ 0.05). The hierarchical multivariate regression results showed a statistically significant association between Apgar score at 5 min after delivery, gestational age, birth weight, head circumference, and maternal endocrine parameters during pregnancy (p ≤ 0.05), adjusted to phthalate metabolites. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to indicate that prenatal exposure to phthalates may also affect birth outcomes through interaction with the maternal endocrine system.

The Joint Effect of Perceived Psychosocial Stress and Phthalate Exposure on Hormonal Concentrations during the Early Stage of Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Participation was anonymous and voluntary, and all probands signed informed consent prior to involvement. The sample collection and exclusion criteria were described elsewhere [ 22 ].…”

Development of Chemiluminescent ELISA for Detection of Diisobutyl Phthalate in Water, Lettuce and Aquatic Organisms

“…It is shown that DiBP has a toxic effect on the reproductive system, leading to a decrease in the level of male sex hormones and miscarriage [9]. A study on the effect of phthalates on maternal hormone levels during pregnancy shows an association with birth outcome [10]. In connection with Chemosensors 2023, 11, 393 2 of 16 the detected effects, the maximum allowable concentrations were established, which for DiBP is 300 µg/L [11].…”