Prenatal Bisphenol A Exposure and Early Childhood Behavior
Prenatal Bisphenol A Exposure and Early Childhood
Behavior
Joe M. Braun1, Kimberly Yolton2, Kim N. Dietrich3, Richard Hornung2, Xiaoyun Ye4,
Antonia M. Calafat4, Bruce P. Lanphear2,5
1-Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC,
27514
2-Department of Pediatrics, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati
Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229
3-Department of Environmental Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University
of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267
4- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341
5-Child & Family Research Institute, BC Children’s Hospital and the Faculty of Health Sciences,
Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia
Abstract
Background: Prenatal exposure Bisphenol A (BPA) increases offspring aggression and
diminishes differences in sexually dimorphic behaviors in rodents.
Objective: We examined the association between prenatal BPA exposure and behavior in 2-year
old children.
Methods: We used data from 249 mothers and their children in Cincinnati OH. Maternal urine
was collected around 16 and 26 weeks gestation and at birth. BPA concentrations were
quantified using high performance liquid chromatography-isotope dilution-tandem mass
spectrometry. Child behavior was assessed at 2-years of age using the Behavioral Assessment
System for Children-2 (BASC-2). The association between prenatal BPA concentrations and
BASC-2 scores was analyzed using linear regression.
Results: Median BPA concentrations were 1.8 (16 week), 1.7 (26 week), and 1.3 (birth) ng/ml.
Mean externalizing and internalizing scores were 47.6 (standard deviation [SD]:7.8) and 44.8
(SD:7.0), respectively. After adjustment for confounders, log10-transformed mean prenatal BPA
concentrations were associated with externalizing scores, but only among females (:6.0; 95%
confidence interval [CI]:0.1, 12.0). Compared to 26 week and birth concentrations, BPA
concentrations collected around 16 weeks were more strongly associated with externalizing
scores among all children (:2.9; 95% CI: 0.2, 5.7); and this association was stronger in females
than males. Among all children, measurements collected < 16 weeks showed a stronger
association (:5.1; 95% CI:1.5, 8.6) with externalizing scores than measurements taken from 17-
21 weeks (:0.6, 95% CI:-2.9, 4.1).
Conclusions: These results suggest that prenatal BPA exposure may be associated with
externalizing behaviors in two-year old children, especially among female children.
Environ Health Perspect doi:10.1289/ehp.0900979 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 06 October 2009]
Joe M. Braun1, Kimberly Yolton2, Kim N. Dietrich3, Richard Hornung2, Xiaoyun Ye4,
Antonia M. Calafat4, Bruce P. Lanphear2,5
1-Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC,
27514
2-Department of Pediatrics, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati
Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229
3-Department of Environmental Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University
of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267
4- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341
5-Child & Family Research Institute, BC Children’s Hospital and the Faculty of Health Sciences,
Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia
Abstract
Background: Prenatal exposure Bisphenol A (BPA) increases offspring aggression and
diminishes differences in sexually dimorphic behaviors in rodents.
Objective: We examined the association between prenatal BPA exposure and behavior in 2-year
old children.
Methods: We used data from 249 mothers and their children in Cincinnati OH. Maternal urine
was collected around 16 and 26 weeks gestation and at birth. BPA concentrations were
quantified using high performance liquid chromatography-isotope dilution-tandem mass
spectrometry. Child behavior was assessed at 2-years of age using the Behavioral Assessment
System for Children-2 (BASC-2). The association between prenatal BPA concentrations and
BASC-2 scores was analyzed using linear regression.
Results: Median BPA concentrations were 1.8 (16 week), 1.7 (26 week), and 1.3 (birth) ng/ml.
Mean externalizing and internalizing scores were 47.6 (standard deviation [SD]:7.8) and 44.8
(SD:7.0), respectively. After adjustment for confounders, log10-transformed mean prenatal BPA
concentrations were associated with externalizing scores, but only among females (:6.0; 95%
confidence interval [CI]:0.1, 12.0). Compared to 26 week and birth concentrations, BPA
concentrations collected around 16 weeks were more strongly associated with externalizing
scores among all children (:2.9; 95% CI: 0.2, 5.7); and this association was stronger in females
than males. Among all children, measurements collected < 16 weeks showed a stronger
association (:5.1; 95% CI:1.5, 8.6) with externalizing scores than measurements taken from 17-
21 weeks (:0.6, 95% CI:-2.9, 4.1).
Conclusions: These results suggest that prenatal BPA exposure may be associated with
externalizing behaviors in two-year old children, especially among female children.
Environ Health Perspect doi:10.1289/ehp.0900979 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 06 October 2009]
|