title: Gender-specific relationship between prenatal exposure to phthalates and intrauterine growth restriction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No study has examined the association between prenatal phthalate exposure and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). This study aimed to investigate whether prenatal exposure to phthalates was associated with increased risk of IUGR.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 126 mother-newborn pairs, including 42 IUGR cases and 84 control newborns and their mothers, were enrolled in this case-control study. Spot urine samples were collected during the third trimester of pregnancy, and 5 phthalate metabolites (mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), monomethyl phthalate (MMP), mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), and mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP)) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concentrations of MMP, MEHHP, MEOHP, and SumDEHP (MEHP, MEHHP, and MEOHP) were significantly higher in IUGR cases than in normal controls. In all subjects, urinary concentrations of MEHHP and MEOHP were significantly inversely associated with fetal growth indicators (birth weight and Quetelet's index). When mothers were stratified by infant sex, MEHHP and MEOHP concentrations were still negatively associated with fetal growth indicators, while no significant association was observed in females. In addition, exposure-response relationships were observed between MEHHP/SumDEHP concentrations in maternal urine and IUGR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prenatal exposure to phthalates was associated with increased risk of IUGR, and male newborns were more sensitive to phthalates than females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lu-Xi
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Jing
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000145:classification / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D010795:Phthalic Acids