Sex-and stage-specific effect of prenatal exposure to organophosphate esters with children's physical growth patterns and adiposity rebound timing: Modification by breastfeeding

Abstract

Introduction

Exploring the stage-specific effects of prenatal exposure to organophosphate esters (OPEs) on offspring growth and developmental trajectories is critical for early-life health management.

Methods

Based on 2519 mother-child dyads from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort, we examined the concentrations of OPEs in maternal urine during the three trimesters. Seventeen follow-up visits were made to the children, and physical data were collected. A grouped trajectory model was used to fit the growth trajectories.

Results

First-trimester bis(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (BBOEP) was inversely associated with the children's adiposity rebound (AR) timing (β = −0.33, 95 % CI: −0.65, −0.01), and the ORs (95 % CIs) for early age at AR for each doubling of BBOEP and dibutyl phosphate (DBP) were 1.07 (1.00, 1.14) and 1.12 (1.03, 1.22), respectively. BBOEP increased the risk of a high-stable BMI-for-age z score (BMIz) group (OR = 1.18, 95 % CI: 1.01, 1.39), whereas tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate reduced this risk. Diphenyl phosphate (OR = 0.74, 95 % CI: 0.59, 0.94) and aromatic OPEs (OR = 0.70, 95 % CI: 0.54, 0.90) reduced the odds of an extreme-high body fat group. TCEP also reduced the risk of a high body fat percentage group (p < 0.05). There appeared to be sex and ester bond differences in these associations, and breastfeeding could counteract the association between the OPEs and growth trajectories. No mixed effects of OPEs on BMIz trajectories were found.

Conclusions

The present study identified a heterogeneous association between OPE exposure during pregnancy and AR timing and physical growth patterns in offspring. Future studies are needed involving more regions and populations, with consideration of other developmentally toxic compounds, to obtain more reliable and comprehensive results.