title: Effect of environmental phthalate exposure on pregnancy duration and birth outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of phthalate exposure on pregnancy duration and birth outcomes based on the Polish Mother and Child Cohort (REPRO_PL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Phthalate exposure was determined by measuring 11 phthalate metabolites (mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-iso-butyl phthalate (MiBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), 3OH-mono-n-butyl phthalate (OH-MnBP), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono‑ (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), mono-hydroxy-iso-nonyl phthalate (MHiNP), mono-oxo-iso-nonyl phthalate (MOiNP), and mono-n-octyl phthalate (MOP)) in the urine collected from 165 mothers during the third trimester of pregnancy by high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The following measures at birth were considered: gestational age, birth weight, length as well as head and chest circumference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pregnancy duration was inversely associated with natural log concentrations (μg/g creatinine) of MEP (standardized regression coefficient (β) = -0.2, p = 0.04) after adjustment for a variety of confounders. Significant impact of MOiNP on head circumference (β = -0.1, p = 0.05) was also observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study findings add further support to the hypothesis that phthalate exposure may be associated with shorter pregnancy duration and a decreased head circumference, and underscore importance of public health interventions to reduce that exposure.
authors.affiliation: Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland (Department of Environmental Epidemiology). kinga@imp.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Kinga
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polańska
authors.affiliation: Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland (Bureau of Quality Assurance).
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ligocka
authors.affiliation: Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland (Department of Environmental Epidemiology).
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sobala
authors.affiliation: Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland (Department of Environmental Epidemiology).
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hanke
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D049628:Body Size; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine*; D011044:Poland; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010795:Phthalic Acids
keywords: birth outcomes; cohort study; gestational age; phthalates; prenatal exposure; urinary metabolites