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Association between Pregnancy Loss and Urinary Phthalate Levels around the Time of Conception

Toft, Gunnar ; Jönsson, Bo A LU ; Lindh, Christian LU orcid ; Jensen, Tina Kold ; Hjollund, Niels H. ; Vested, Anne and Bonde, Jens Peter (2012) In Environmental Health Perspectives 120(3). p.458-463
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Animal studies indicate that some phthalate metabolites may harm female reproductive function. OBJECTIVES: We assessed the associations between exposure to phthalate metabolites and pregnancy loss. METHODS: Using a previously established cohort of couples planning their first pregnancy, we analyzed four primary and two oxidized secondary phthalate metabolites in urine samples collected on day 10 after the first day of the last menstrual period before conception occurred (n = 128) and during the previous cycle (if any, is = 111). Subclinical embryonal loss was identified by repeated measurement of urinary human chorionic gonadotropin, and information on clinical spontaneous abortions was obtained by telephone interview with the... (More)
BACKGROUND: Animal studies indicate that some phthalate metabolites may harm female reproductive function. OBJECTIVES: We assessed the associations between exposure to phthalate metabolites and pregnancy loss. METHODS: Using a previously established cohort of couples planning their first pregnancy, we analyzed four primary and two oxidized secondary phthalate metabolites in urine samples collected on day 10 after the first day of the last menstrual period before conception occurred (n = 128) and during the previous cycle (if any, is = 111). Subclinical embryonal loss was identified by repeated measurement of urinary human chorionic gonadotropin, and information on clinical spontaneous abortions was obtained by telephone interview with the mother. RESULTS: Pregnancy loss (n = 48) was increased among women with urinary concentration of monoethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) in the upper tertile in the conception sample compared with women in the lowest tertile [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1, 7.6]. The corresponding OR for subclinical embryonal loss (n = 32) was 40.7 (95% Cl: 4.5, 369.5). CONCLUSIONS: The phthalate metabolite MEHP was associated with higher occurrence of pregnancy loss. Because this is the first human study to show this association and the sample size is small, the findings need to be corroborated in independent studies. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
pregnancy loss, phthalates, MEHP, abortion
in
Environmental Health Perspectives
volume
120
issue
3
pages
458 - 463
publisher
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
external identifiers
  • wos:000301394700037
  • scopus:84857734307
  • pmid:22113848
ISSN
1552-9924
DOI
10.1289/ehp.1103552
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
243e095d-f714-4109-92f2-797f3fd04149 (old id 2510290)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:10:25
date last changed
2022-04-21 19:56:38
@article{243e095d-f714-4109-92f2-797f3fd04149,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: Animal studies indicate that some phthalate metabolites may harm female reproductive function. OBJECTIVES: We assessed the associations between exposure to phthalate metabolites and pregnancy loss. METHODS: Using a previously established cohort of couples planning their first pregnancy, we analyzed four primary and two oxidized secondary phthalate metabolites in urine samples collected on day 10 after the first day of the last menstrual period before conception occurred (n = 128) and during the previous cycle (if any, is = 111). Subclinical embryonal loss was identified by repeated measurement of urinary human chorionic gonadotropin, and information on clinical spontaneous abortions was obtained by telephone interview with the mother. RESULTS: Pregnancy loss (n = 48) was increased among women with urinary concentration of monoethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) in the upper tertile in the conception sample compared with women in the lowest tertile [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1, 7.6]. The corresponding OR for subclinical embryonal loss (n = 32) was 40.7 (95% Cl: 4.5, 369.5). CONCLUSIONS: The phthalate metabolite MEHP was associated with higher occurrence of pregnancy loss. Because this is the first human study to show this association and the sample size is small, the findings need to be corroborated in independent studies.}},
  author       = {{Toft, Gunnar and Jönsson, Bo A and Lindh, Christian and Jensen, Tina Kold and Hjollund, Niels H. and Vested, Anne and Bonde, Jens Peter}},
  issn         = {{1552-9924}},
  keywords     = {{pregnancy loss; phthalates; MEHP; abortion}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{458--463}},
  publisher    = {{National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences}},
  series       = {{Environmental Health Perspectives}},
  title        = {{Association between Pregnancy Loss and Urinary Phthalate Levels around the Time of Conception}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1103552}},
  doi          = {{10.1289/ehp.1103552}},
  volume       = {{120}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}