The Associations Of Prenatal Parabens Exposure With Gestational Weight Gain And Postpartum Weight Retention

Objective: Paraben,a type of endocrine-disrupting chemicals,has been correlated with obesity.However,there is a paucity of literature regarding the effect of paraben exposure on gestational weight status or postpartum weight status.Gestational weight status or postpartum weight status may have effect on long-term adverse health outcomes of mother and offspring.This study aimed to evaluate the associations of urinary paraben concentrations during the 3 trimesters with gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention.Methods: This study was based on a prospective prenatal cohort.We collected urine samples of the first,second,and third trimester from 856 pregnant women between 2014 and 2015,and measured five parabens,including methylparaben(Me P),ethylparaben(Et P),propylparaben(Pr P),butylparaben(Bu P),and benzyl paraben(Bz P),by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS).We computed the total paraben concentration(∑parabens,μmol/L)as the sum of molar concentrations of all 5 paraben together.The basic information of 856 pregnant women,the body weight of each trimester and the weight of the two postpartum time points(6 and 12 months)were obtained from the hospital electronic medical record information system and face-to-face questionnaire survey and postpartum follow-up health check.Gestational weight in each trimester and prepregnancy weight were used to calculate trimester gestational weight gain.Maternal weight measured at 6 months and 12 months follow-up after delivery and prepregnancy weight were used to calculate postpartum weight retention(≥ 5 kg would be defined as high postpartum weight retention)and the difference with body weights at 1 month follow-up after delivery was used to calculate weight recovery rate.Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the associations of trimester-specific and over entire pregnancy paraben exposure with gestational weight gain,postpartum weight retention and weight recovery rate.The generalized estimating equation model was used to analyze the risk rate of parabens exposure levels during pregnancy with excess gestational weight gain and high postpartum weight retention.Results:(1)The associations between the concentrations of parabens in urine samples of pregnant women and gestational weight gain were as follows: in the adjusted models,each doubling in Me P,Pr P,and ∑parabens concentrations was correlated with slight increases in overall gestational weight gain of 0.07 kg(95% confidence interval[CI]: 0.01,0.12),0.07 kg(95% CI: 0.02,0.12),and 0.10 kg(95% CI: 0.04,0.16),respectively.A doubling of the first-trimester Me P,Et P,Pr P,and ∑parabens concentrations was also correlated with increases in first-trimester gestational weight gain of 0.10 kg(95% CI: 0.02,0.18),0.07 kg(95% CI: 0.00,0.14),0.13 kg(95% CI:0.05,0.20),and 0.16 kg(95% CI: 0.08,0.25).Stratified analysis showed that higher paraben exposure produced greater weight gain among overweight/obese women before pregnancy compared with normal-weight or underweight women.(2)In analysis of the association between exposure to parabens during pregnancy and the risk of excessive gestational weight gain,we did not find a significant increase in the risk of excessive gestational weight gain during pregnancy.(3)The associations between the concentrations of parabens in urine samples of pregnant women and postpartum weight retention were as follows: The the second-trimester concentration of Pr P in urine samples was positively correlated with the postpartum weight retention at 6 months after delivery.A doubling of the second-trimester Pr P concentration was correlated with increase in postpartum weight retention postpartum weight retention by 0.10 kg(95% CI: 0.01,0.19).Pr P exposure was also associated with the weight recovery rate during 6 months after delivery.A doubling of the second-trimester and overall pregnancy average Pr P urine concentration were correlated with decreased weight recovery rate with 6 months after delivery by0.019 kg/month(95% CI:-0.038,0)and 0.030 kg/month(95% CI:-0.055,-0.006),respectively.No obvious association was observed of parabens exposure during pregnancy with body weight retention and weight recovery rate within 1 year postpartum.(4)In analysis of the association between paraben concentration in postpartum urine samples and high postpartum body weight retention,we did not find any significant effect of exposure on the risk of high postpartum weight retention.Conclusions: Our results show that paraben exposure is positively correlated with gestational weight gain during pregnancy and postpartum weight retention at 6 months after delivery,and negatively correlated with weight recovery rate at 6 months after delivery.These results suggested that exposure to parabens during pregnancy have impact on the controlling of gestational weight gain and the recovery of postpartum weight retention.