ArticleEnvironmental research2025
Maternal organophosphate esters and sex steroid hormones in mid-pregnancy.
Article in Environmental research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Prenatal exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers and maternal immune responses in three ECHO cohorts.Environmental research · 2026Article
- Prenatal exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and child cognition: Findings from the environmental influences on child Health Outcomes cohort.Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987) · 2026Article
- Organophosphate ester exposure in pregnancy, gestational weight gain, and postpartum body composition in a U.S.-based longitudinal pregnancy cohort.Environmental health : a global access science source · 2025Article
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10 authors.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND/
aimsOrganophosphate esters (OPEs) are synthetic chemicals used in consumer products as flame retardants and plasticizers. OPEs are potential endocrine disruptors, but little is known regarding gestational OPE exposure and maternal sex steroid hormones in human pregnancy.
methodsUnderstanding Pregnancy Signals and Infant Development (UPSIDE) cohort participants (n=265) provided biospecimens and completed questionnaires in each trimester. In second trimester samples, we measured urinary OPE metabolite concentrations using HPLC-MS/MS. In second and third trimester serum samples, we measured sex steroids (total testosterone [TT], free testosterone, estrone [E1], estradiol [E2], and estriol [E3]) using LC-MS/MS. We fitted linear regression and linear mixed models examining each log-transformed, specific gravity-adjusted OPE metabolite in relation to sex steroid concentrations, adjusting for covariates. Three OPEs with >70% detection were considered continuously; six less prevalent metabolites were dichotomized (above vs below lower limit of detection). Secondary models were fit for male and female fetuses, separately. Results are shown as % difference in hormone levels.
resultsPercent detection of OPEs ranged from 26% to 100%. Diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) had the highest concentration (median 0.9 ng/mL). Across trimesters 2 and 3, a log-unit increase in dibutyl phosphate/di-isobutyl phosphate (DBUP/DIBP) was associated with lower TT (%Δ = -6.6, 95%CI: 11.5, -1.5), E1 (%Δ = -5.6, 95%CI: 10.8, -0.1), and E2 (%Δ = -5.3, 95%CI: 8.2, -2.3). Compared to those with non-detectable levels, participants with detectable bis(methylphenyl) phosphate (BMPP) had lower E3 (%Δ = -45.9, 95%CI: 67.9, -8.9) and participants with detectable bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCETP) had lower E2 (%Δ = -1.4, 95%CI: 2.4, -0.4). Numerous associations were observed in trimesters 2 and 3, individually. We observed several differences by fetal sex that varied in magnitude and direction.
conclusionOPEs may act as endocrine disruptors by altering maternal sex steroid hormones during pregnancy, with some differences by fetal sex. Further research is needed to understand implications for maternal and child health.
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