Rutuja Dhamale1, Tim Korevaar1, Hans Krabbe2, Robin Peeters1, Arash Derakhshan1
(1) Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
(2) Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
Introduction
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with the endocrine system and function of affiliated organs. The placenta regulates maternal-fetal interface and is a major endocrine organ producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). However, the potential of EDCs to interfere with placental function remains unclear.
Aim
To study the association of gestational exposure to a mixture of 22 EDCs (phthalates, bisphenols, perchlorate, thiocyanate, nitrate and pesticides) with placental function.
Methods
We investigated the association of the mixture with gestational age adjusted serum hCG concentrations, placental function markers (placental growth factor [PlGF], soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase [sFlt-1]) during early and mid-pregnancy, and placental weight at birth using Bayesian Kernal Machine Regression in women with uncomplicated pregnancies participating in Generation R cohort.
Results
In 1,496 included women, higher exposure to EDCs was associated with a lower hCG and placental weight. We identified fetal-sex specific effects, with more pronounced associations in female fetus pregnancies. Main drivers of these associations were mono-methyl, mono-isobutyl, mono-butyl and mono-2-heptyl phthalates (mMP, mIBP mBP, mHpP, posterior inclusion probabilities >0.40). Higher mBzBP exposure was associated with higher hCG in women carrying female fetus. We did not identify any association of the EDC mixture with placental function markers.
Discussion
Higher exposure to EDCs was associated with lower hCG concentrations and lower placental weight in a fetal sex-specific manner. Our results highlight the need for further experimental studies to elucidate underlying sex-specific modes of action of EDCs and to investigate the risk of pregnancy complications as a result of placental disruption by EDCs.