Prenatal phthalate exposure and reproductive function in young men.
BACKGROUND
Prenatal exposure to phthalates is suggested to negatively impact male reproductive function, but human data are lacking.


OBJECTIVE
To study associations between prenatal exposure to diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), and reproductive parameters of adolescent men.


METHODS
Using linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders, we studied associations between levels of DEHP- and DiNP metabolites in maternal sera from mean 12 weeks of pregnancy, and testicular size, semen quality and reproductive hormones in 112 adolescent sons, recruited from the general population.


RESULTS
Men in the highest exposure tertile of one DiNP metabolite [mono-(carboxy-iso-octyl) phthalate], compared with men in the lowest tertile had: 4.3mL (95% CI: 0.89, 7.6mL; p<0.001) lower total testicular volume; 30% (95% CI: 3.6, 63%; p=0.02) higher levels of follicle-stimulating hormone; and 0.87mL (95% CI: 0.28, 1.5mL; p=0.004) lower semen volume. Men in the highest exposure tertile of one DEHP metabolite [mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxylhexyl) phthalate] had 0.70mL (95% CI: 0.090, 1.3mL; p=0.03) lower semen volume than men in the lowest exposure tertile. The levels of two DiNP metabolites [mono-(hydroxy-iso-nonyl) phthalate and mono-(oxo-iso-nonyl) phthalate] were linearly associated with luteinizing hormone (p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Prenatal levels of some metabolites of DEHP and DiNP seemed negatively associated with reproductive function of adolescent men.
Molecular Reproductive Medicine, Skåne University Hospital Malmö, Lund University, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden. Electronic address: jonatan.axelsson@med.lu.se.
Jonatan
J
Axelsson
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 221 85 Lund, Sweden.
Lars
L
Rylander
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 221 85 Lund, Sweden.
Anna
A
Rignell-Hydbom
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 221 85 Lund, Sweden.
Christian H
CH
Lindh
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 221 85 Lund, Sweden.
Bo A G
BA
Jönsson
Molecular Reproductive Medicine, Skåne University Hospital Malmö, Lund University, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden.
Aleksander
A
Giwercman
D000293:Adolescent; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D010795:Phthalic Acids; C012125:diisononyl phthalate; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate
Diethylhexyl phthalate; Diisononyl phthalate; Late effects; Prenatal exposure; Semen quality; hormones