title: Female exposure to phenols and phthalates and time to pregnancy: the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the potential effect of bisphenol A (BPA), triclosan (TCS), and phthalates on women's fecundity, as measured by time to pregnancy (TTP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnancy-based retrospective TTP study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2,001 women during the first trimester of pregnancy recruited between 2008 and 2011 (the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study), with 1,742 women included in the BPA analysis, 1,699 in the TCS analysis, and 1,597 in the phthalates analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fecundability odds ratios (FORs) estimated using the Cox model modified for discrete time data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BPA concentrations were not statistically significantly associated with diminished fecundity either in crude or adjusted models. Women in the highest quartile of TCS (>72 ng/mL) had evidence of decreased fecundity (FOR 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.97) compared with the three lower quartiles as the reference group. Exposure to phthalates was suggestive of a shorter TTP, as indicated by FORs greater than 1, although the 95% confidence interval always included 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated TCS exposure may be associated with diminished fecundity. BPA and phthalates showed no negative impact; on the contrary, some phthalates might be associated with a shorter time to pregnancy. A major limitation of the study was that only one measurement of exposure was available for each woman after conception. Further research is necessary to test these findings.
authors: Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: mdp.velez.gomez@umontreal.ca.
authors: Maria P
authors: MP
authors: Vélez
authors: Population Studies Division, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Tye E
authors: TE
authors: Arbuckle
authors: Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: William D
authors: WD
authors: Fraser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D033261:Maternal-Fetal Relations / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D061685:Time-to-Pregnancy; D014260:Triclosan / Q000633:toxicity; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010636:Phenols; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D014260:Triclosan; C032279:phthalic acid; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: Bisphenol A; fecundity; phthalates; reproduction; triclosan