First and second trimester concentrations of environmental phenols in association with gestational weight gain in the ECHO cohort
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Inconsistent evidence links pregnancy concentrations of environmental phenols to altered gestational weight gain. We analyzed maternal urinary concentrations of 10 phenols in first trimester and 12 phenols in second trimester in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohort study sites (n = 3960). Phenols ≥85% above the limit of detection (LOD) were modeled continuously; phenols with 55% - 85% of samples > LOD were modeled as three categories; and phenols with <55% of samples > LOD were modeled as detected/non-detected. We used generalized estimating equations models to evaluate associations between each phenol and gestational weight gain (difference between pre-pregnancy and delivery weight). Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression assessed associations of the second trimester phenol mixture with gestational weight gain. We also evaluated effect modification by pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). First trimester concentrations of many phenols, including bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), benzophenone-3 (BP3), ∑bisphenols (∑BPA, BPS, bisphenol F), and ∑parabens (ethyl, methyl, propyl, butyl paraben) were associated with greater total gestational weight gain. For example, each doubling in ∑bisphenols and ∑parabens were associated with 0.28 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18, 0.39) kg and 0.45 (95%CI: 0.07, 0.83) kg greater gestational weight gain, respectively. In contrast, associations between second trimester concentrations of phenols and total gestational weight gain were generally null both for individual phenols and the phenol mixture. Associations were not consistently modified by pre-pregnancy BMI. Early pregnancy exposure to environmental phenols is associated with greater gestational weight gain. Further investigation into potential windows for endocrine disruption is warranted.
Source: Environmental Research
Authors: Susanna D. Mitro, Juanran Feng, Stacey Alexeeff, Linda G. Kahn, Jennifer Ames, Emily S. Barrett, Courtney C. Carignan, Sarah Dee Geiger, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Carolyn W. Kinkade, Eduardo A. Ortiz, Mia Q. Peng, Alicia K. Peterson, Rita S. Strakovsky, Yeyi Zhu, Assiamira Ferrara, Monique Hedderson
Institutions: Kaiser Permanente, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, New York University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Michigan State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Utah State University, University of Colorado Anschutz
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,880
Awards: Early Life Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Child Growth, Adiposity, and Neurodevelopment, Preconception and Prenatal Health Impacting Factors and Child Health, University of California, San Francisco/Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) K12 Program, Early Life Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Child Growth, Adiposity, and Neurodevelopment, Hypertension, antihypertensive treatment, and uterine fibroid diagnosis in an integrated healthcare system
OpenAlex ID: W7214339442