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Publications

Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Ppublish 11 citations

PubMed: 35964672 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114078

Maternal diet quality moderates associations between parabens and birth outcomes.

Environ Res 214(Pt 3):114078

Authors: Diana C Pacyga, Nicole M Talge, Joseph C Gardiner, Antonia M Calafat, Susan L Schantz, Rita S Strakovsky

Affiliations

  • Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
  • Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
  • Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
  • The Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61802, USA; The Beckman Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61801, USA.
  • Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Maternal paraben exposure and diet quality are both independently associated with birth outcomes, but whether these interact is unknown. We assessed sex-specific associations of parabens with birth outcomes and differences by maternal diet quality.

METHODS

Illinois pregnant women (n = 458) provided five first-morning urines collected at 8-40 weeks gestation, which we pooled for quantification of ethylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben concentrations. We collected/measured gestational age at delivery, birth weight, body length, and head circumference within 24 h of birth, and calculated sex-specific birth weight-for-gestational-age z-scores and weight/length ratio. Women completed three-month food frequency questionnaires in early and mid-to-late pregnancy, which we used to calculate the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)-2010. Linear regression models evaluated sex-specific associations of parabens with birth outcomes, and differences in associations by average pregnancy AHEI-2010.

RESULTS

In this predominately non-Hispanic white, college-educated sample, maternal urinary paraben concentrations were only modestly inversely associated with head circumference and gestational length. However, methylparaben and propylparaben were inversely associated with birth weight, birth weight z-scores, body length, and weight/length ratio in female, but not male newborns. For example, each 2-fold increase in methylparaben concentrations was associated with -46.61 g (95% CI: -74.70, -18.51) lower birth weight, -0.09 (95% CI: -0.15, -0.03) lower birth weight z-scores, -0.21 cm (95% CI: -0.34, -0.07) shorter body length, and -0.64 g/cm (95% CI: -1.10, -0.19) smaller weight/length ratio in females. These inverse associations were more prominent in females of mothers with poorer diets (AHEI-2010 < median), but attenuated in those with healthier diets (AHEI-2010 ≥ median). In newborn males of mothers with healthier diets, moderate inverse associations emerged for propylparaben with gestational length and head circumference.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal diet may moderate associations of parabens with birth size in a sex-specific manner. Additional studies may consider understanding the inflammatory and metabolic mechanisms underlying these findings.

MeSH

Pregnancy, Mothers, Parturition, Infant, Newborn, Diet, Birth Weight, Sex, Diet, Healthy, Parabens

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