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Title: Perinatal urinary benzophenone-3 concentrations and glucose levels among women from a fertility clinic.

Authors: Wang, Zifan; Mínguez-Alarcón, Lidia; Williams, Paige L; Bellavia, Andrea; Ford, Jennifer B; Keller, Myra; Petrozza, John C; Calafat, Antonia M; Hauser, Russ; James-Todd, Tamarra

Published In Environ Health, (2020 Apr 28)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Subfertile women have higher risk of glucose intolerance during pregnancy. Studies suggest associations between several endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and pregnancy glucose levels. However, the association between benzophenone-3 (BP-3), an EDC widely found in sunscreen, and pregnancy glucose levels remains unclear. We aimed to assess the association between perinatal exposures to BP-3 and pregnancy glucose levels in subfertile women. METHODS: We evaluated 217 women from a prospective cohort based at a fertility clinic who had urinary BP-3 concentrations measured during 3-month preconception, first and/or second trimesters, and blood glucose measured at glucose load tests (GLTs) during late pregnancy. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to assess associations between time-specific BP-3 in quartiles (Q1 - Q4) and mean glucose levels, as well as odds of abnormal GLT (glucose level ≥ 140 mg/dL), adjusting for potential confounders. Effect modification was assessed by age, season, BMI, infertility diagnosis, sex of fetus (es) and physical activity. RESULTS: Women with higher first trimester BP-3 concentrations had lower mean glucose levels [mean glucose (95% CI) for Q4 vs Q1 = 103.4 (95.0, 112.5) vs. 114.6 (105.8, 124.2) mg/dL]. Women with higher second trimester BP-3 concentrations had lower odds of abnormal GLT [OR (95% CI) for Q3 vs. Q1 = 0.12 (0.01, 0.94)]. The associations between BP-3 and glucose levels were modified by several factors: women with female-factor infertility, urine collected during summer, older age, lower BMI, or carried female fetus (es) had the strongest inverse associations between BP-3 and glucose levels, while no associations were observed in the remaining subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Time-specific inverse associations between BP-3 and pregnancy glucose levels existed in subfertile women, and especially among certain subgroups of this high-risk-population.

PubMed ID: 32345324 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Adult; Age Factors; Benzophenones/urine*; Blood Glucose/metabolism*; Body Mass Index*; Boston; Exercise*; Female; Fertility Clinics; Fetus/chemistry*; Humans; Infertility/diagnosis*; Maternal Exposure*; Middle Aged; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, First; Pregnancy Trimester, Second; Pregnancy Trimester, Third; Prospective Studies; Seasons; Sex Factors; Young Adult

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