TY - JOUR
T1 - In-utero exposure to polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and menstrual cycle function in adulthood
AU - Barat, Suman
AU - Hood, Robert B.
AU - Terrell, Metrecia L.
AU - Howards, Penelope P.
AU - Spencer, Jessica B.
AU - Wainstock, Tamar
AU - Barton, Hillary
AU - Pearson, Melanie
AU - Kesner, James S.
AU - Meadows, Juliana W.
AU - Marcus, Michele
AU - Gaskins, Audrey J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier GmbH
PY - 2024/3/1
Y1 - 2024/3/1
N2 - Background: There is evidence that in-utero exposure to PBBs, and similar chemicals, are associated with several adverse reproductive health outcomes including altered pubertal timing. However, less is known about the effects of in-utero exposure to PBBs on menstrual cycle function and reproductive hormone levels in adulthood. Methods: For this menstrual cycle study, we recruited reproductive-aged women in the Michigan PBB Registry who were not pregnant, lactating, or taking hormonal medications (2004–2014). A total of 41 women who were born after the PBB contamination incident (1973–1974) and were prenatally exposed to PBBs, were included in this analysis. We estimated in-utero PBB exposure using maternal serum PBB measurements taken after exposure and extrapolated to time of pregnancy using a PBB elimination model. Women were followed for up to 6 months during which they provided daily urine samples and completed daily diaries. The urine samples were assayed for estrone 3-glucuronide (E13G), pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (Pd3G), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Results: Women in our study were, on average, 27.5 (SD:5.3) years old and contributed 4.9 (SD:1.9) menstrual cycles of follow-up. Compared to women with low in-utero PBB exposure (≤1 ppb), women with medium (>1.0–3.0 ppb) and high (>3.0 ppb) exposure had higher maximum 3-day mean Pd3G levels during the luteal phase. Specifically, the age- and creatinine-adjusted maximum 3-day mean luteal phase Pd3G levels (95% CI) in increasing categories of in-utero PBB exposure were 9.2 (4.6,13.9), 14.8 (11.6,18.0), and 16.1 (12.9,19.3) μg/mg creatinine. There were no meaningful differences in average cycle length, follicular or luteal phase cycle length, bleed length, or creatinine-adjusted E13G or FSH levels by category of in-utero PBB exposure. Conclusion: Higher exposure to PBB in-utero was associated with increased progesterone levels across the luteal phase, however, most other menstrual cycle characteristics were largely unassociated with in-utero PBB exposure. Given our modest sample size, our results require cautious interpretation.
AB - Background: There is evidence that in-utero exposure to PBBs, and similar chemicals, are associated with several adverse reproductive health outcomes including altered pubertal timing. However, less is known about the effects of in-utero exposure to PBBs on menstrual cycle function and reproductive hormone levels in adulthood. Methods: For this menstrual cycle study, we recruited reproductive-aged women in the Michigan PBB Registry who were not pregnant, lactating, or taking hormonal medications (2004–2014). A total of 41 women who were born after the PBB contamination incident (1973–1974) and were prenatally exposed to PBBs, were included in this analysis. We estimated in-utero PBB exposure using maternal serum PBB measurements taken after exposure and extrapolated to time of pregnancy using a PBB elimination model. Women were followed for up to 6 months during which they provided daily urine samples and completed daily diaries. The urine samples were assayed for estrone 3-glucuronide (E13G), pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (Pd3G), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Results: Women in our study were, on average, 27.5 (SD:5.3) years old and contributed 4.9 (SD:1.9) menstrual cycles of follow-up. Compared to women with low in-utero PBB exposure (≤1 ppb), women with medium (>1.0–3.0 ppb) and high (>3.0 ppb) exposure had higher maximum 3-day mean Pd3G levels during the luteal phase. Specifically, the age- and creatinine-adjusted maximum 3-day mean luteal phase Pd3G levels (95% CI) in increasing categories of in-utero PBB exposure were 9.2 (4.6,13.9), 14.8 (11.6,18.0), and 16.1 (12.9,19.3) μg/mg creatinine. There were no meaningful differences in average cycle length, follicular or luteal phase cycle length, bleed length, or creatinine-adjusted E13G or FSH levels by category of in-utero PBB exposure. Conclusion: Higher exposure to PBB in-utero was associated with increased progesterone levels across the luteal phase, however, most other menstrual cycle characteristics were largely unassociated with in-utero PBB exposure. Given our modest sample size, our results require cautious interpretation.
KW - Biphenyl compounds
KW - Brominated flame retardants
KW - Menstrual cycle
KW - Polybrominated biphenyls
KW - Progesterone
KW - Two-generation study
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85178138272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114297
DO - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114297
M3 - Article
C2 - 38039561
SN - 1438-4639
VL - 256
JO - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
JF - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
M1 - 114297
ER -
