Associations of endocrine disrupting chemicals with anogenital distance across infancy.
Increased exposure to certain phthalates during pregnancy may be associated with shorter anogenital distance in female infants at 5 months, indicating a potential impact on reproductive development.
Where it sits
this study against the rest of the hgh (somatropin) corpusSummary and findings
This study evaluated associations of maternal endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with infant anogenital distance (AGD) at birth and at 5 months of age. The study included 563 mother-infant pairs and measured 10 phthalates/replacements and nine phenols in urine samples. Findings indicated that increased exposure to phthalates/replacements was associated with shorter AGD in females at 5 months.
Abstract
Context Pregnant women are ubiquitously exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Anogenital distance (AGD) is a hormone-dependent marker of reproductive system development. Objective We evaluated associations of maternal EDCs with infant AGD at birth and mini-puberty (5 months), and AGD growth across infancy. Design Pregnant women enrolled in I-KIDS (Illinois Kids Development Study)-an observational longitudinal study (2013-2019). Setting Participants were recruited from two OBGyn clinics in Champaign-Urbana, IL. Patients or other participants This study includes 563 mother/infant pairs at birth and 5-months of age. Intervention(s)/exposure We measured 10 phthalates/replacements and nine phenols in five pooled first-morning urine samples collected across pregnancy. Main outcome measures In newborns and 5-month-olds, we divided short and long AGD measures by body length (termed anogenital index, AGI) and calculated %AGI growth across infancy. We evaluated covariate-adjusted associations of phthalates/replacements or phenols separately (quantile g-computation) or combined (hierarchical Bayesian kernel machine regression), with AGI measures. Results Associations of phthalates/replacements with newborn AGI in females and phenols in males were inconsistent. However, in 5-month-old females, each quartile increase in the phthalate/replacement mixture was associated with -4.13 mm/m shorter AGIShort (95% confidence interval (CI): -7.22, -1.05), -3.89 mm/m shorter AGILong (95%CI: -7.55, -0.23), -39.49% less AGIShort growth (95%CI: -62.44, -16.54), and -8.78% less AGILong growth (95%CI: -16.06, -1.51); associations with AGILong growth were strongest at lower mixture quantiles. Conclusion AGD in mini-puberty and growth across infancy may reflect EDC-mediated hormonal disruption in utero, particularly in females, supporting the need to investigate these markers as predictors of long-term reproductive health.
Background
Not reported in abstract.
Methods
Not reported in abstract.
Results
Not reported in abstract.
Interpretation
Not reported in abstract.
Limitations
Not reported in abstract.