Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2009 Apr 15;169(8):1015-24.
doi: 10.1093/aje/kwp001. Epub 2009 Feb 27.

Maternal urinary metabolites of Di-(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate in relation to the timing of labor in a US multicenter pregnancy cohort study

Jennifer J Adibi  1 , Russ Hauser, Paige L Williams, Robin M Whyatt, Antonia M Calafat, Heather Nelson, Robert Herrick, Shanna H Swan
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Maternal urinary metabolites of Di-(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate in relation to the timing of labor in a US multicenter pregnancy cohort study

Jennifer J Adibi et al. Am J Epidemiol. .

Abstract

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer used in consumer and medical products that can cross the placenta, disrupt steroid hormone synthesis, and activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma. The authors examined DEHP exposure in relation to the timing of labor in a pregnancy cohort study of 283 women recruited in 4 US states (California, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri) between 2000 and 2004. The authors estimated associations between concentrations of DEHP metabolites and gestational age at delivery using linear regression models and associations between DEHP metabolites and clinical outcomes using logistic regression models. After covariate adjustment, women at the 75th percentile of DEHP metabolite concentrations had a 2-day-longer mean length of gestation than women at the 25th percentile (95% confidence interval: 1.4, 3.3). Log-unit increases in mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate concentrations were associated with increased odds of cesarean section delivery (30% and 50% increased odds, respectively), increased odds of delivering at 41 weeks or later (100% and 120% increased odds), and reduced odds of preterm delivery (50% and 60% decreased odds). These data suggest that DEHP may interfere with signaling related to the timing of parturition.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Clinically estimated gestational age as a function of log urinary mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) concentration (ng/mL) (n = 283) after adjustment for creatinine, Study for Future Families, 2000–2004.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Clinically estimated gestational age as a function of log urinary mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate (MEOHP) concentration (ng/mL) (n = 283) after adjustment for creatinine, Study for Future Families, 2000–2004.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Clinically estimated gestational age as a function of log urinary mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate (MEOHP) concentration (ng/mL), by percent mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (%MEHP) status (low/high) (n = 283), after adjustment for creatinine and covariates, Study for Future Families, 2000–2004. %MEHP was calculated as the ratio of MEHP concentration to the sum of the concentrations of 3 di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (MEHP, MEOHP, and mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate) (in nanomoles) and transformed using the natural logarithm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Schettler T. Human exposure to phthalates via consumer products. Int J Androl. 2006;29(1):134–139. - PubMed
    1. Kavlock R, Barr D, Boekelheide K, et al. NTP-CERHR expert panel update on the reproductive and developmental toxicity of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. Reprod Toxicol. 2006;22(3):291–399. - PubMed
    1. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Toxicological Profile for Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2002. ( http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp9.html#9). (Accessed December 15, 2007) - PubMed
    1. Rudel RA, Camann DE, Spengler JD, et al. Phthalates, alkylphenols, pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and other endocrine-disrupting compounds in indoor air and dust. Environ Sci Technol. 2003;37(20):4543–4553. - PubMed
    1. Kato K, Silva MJ, Reidy JA, et al. Mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate as biomarkers for human exposure assessment to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. Environ Health Perspect. 2004;112(3):327–330. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances