Trimester-Specific Urinary Bisphenol A Concentrations and Blood Glucose Levels Among Pregnant Women From a Fertility Clinic.
Women with a history of infertility are at increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance during pregnancy. Studies suggest higher urinary bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations are associated with diabetes in nonpregnant populations, but the association between BPA and glucose levels among pregnant women is unclear.



To assess trimester-specific urinary BPA concentrations in relation to blood glucose levels among subfertile women.



Environment and Reproductive Health Study, an ongoing prospective cohort study.



A fertility center in a teaching hospital.



A total of 245 women contributed at least one urine sample during first and/or second trimesters, delivered a singleton or twin pregnancy, and had available blood glucose data (2005 to 2015).



Blood glucose levels after a nonfasting 50-g glucose challenge test at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation.



The specific gravity-adjusted geometric mean urinary BPA concentrations during first and second trimesters were 1.39 and 1.27 µg/L, respectively. Second-trimester BPA concentrations were positively associated with blood glucose (P, trend = 0.01). Specifically, the adjusted mean glucose levels (95% confidence interval) for women in the highest quartile of second-trimester BPA concentrations was 119 (112, 126) mg/dL compared with 106 (100, 112) mg/dL for women in the lowest quartile. No associations were observed between first-trimester BPA concentrations and glucose levels.



BPA exposure during the second trimester may have adverse effect on blood glucose levels among subfertile women. As the findings represent the first report suggesting a potential etiologically relevant window for BPA and glucose in humans, further studies are needed.
Departments of Nutrition.|Epidemiology.
Yu-Han
YH
Chiu
Environmental Health, and.
Lidia
L
Mínguez-Alarcón
Environmental Health, and.
Jennifer B
JB
Ford
Environmental Health, and.
Myra
M
Keller
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
Ellen W
EW
Seely
Environmental Health, and.
Carmen
C
Messerlian
Vincent Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114.
John
J
Petrozza
Epidemiology.|Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
Paige L
PL
Williams
National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
Xiaoyun
X
Ye
National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
Antonia M
AM
Calafat
Epidemiology.|Environmental Health, and.|Vincent Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114.
Russ
R
Hauser
Epidemiology.|Environmental Health, and.
Tamarra
T
James-Todd
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000652:urine*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010636:Phenols / Q000652:urine*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D060728:Reproductive Health; D055815:Young Adult; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D001786:Blood Glucose; D010636:Phenols; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds