title: Prenatal bisphenol A exposure and early childhood behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) increases offspring aggression and diminishes differences in sexually dimorphic behaviors in rodents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the association between prenatal BPA exposure and behavior in 2-year-old children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from 249 mothers and their children in Cincinnati, Ohio (USA). Maternal urine was collected around 16 and 26 weeks of gestation and at birth. BPA concentrations were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography-isotope-dilution tandem mass spectrometry. Child behavior was assessed at 2 years of age using the second edition of the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC-2). The association between prenatal BPA concentrations and BASC-2 scores was analyzed using linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median BPA concentrations were 1.8 (16 weeks), 1.7 (26 weeks), and 1.3 (birth) ng/mL. Mean (+/- SD) BASC-2 externalizing and internalizing scores were 47.6 +/- 7.8 and 44.8 +/- 7.0, respectively. After adjustment for confounders, log(10)-transformed mean prenatal BPA concentrations were associated with externalizing scores, but only among females [beta = 6.0; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.1-12.0]. Compared with 26-week and birth concentrations, BPA concentrations collected around 16 weeks were more strongly associated with externalizing scores among all children (beta = 2.9; 95% CI, 0.2-5.7), and this association was stronger in females than in males. Among all children, measurements collected at <or= 16 weeks showed a stronger association (beta = 5.1; 95% CI, 1.5-8.6) with externalizing scores than did measurements taken at 17-21 weeks (beta = 0.6; 95% CI, -2.9 to 4.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that prenatal BPA exposure may be associated with externalizing behaviors in 2-year-old children, especially among female children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Joe M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yolton
authors.forename: Kim N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hornung
authors.forename: Xiaoyun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Antonia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Calafat
authors.forename: Bruce P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Lanphear
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine; D011247:Pregnancy; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D010636:Phenols; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds