Placental concentrations of bisphenol A and birth weight from births in the Southeastern U.S.

• Placental BPA concentrations ranged from 4.4 ng/g to 273.9 ng/g in oven-dried tissue.
• Placental BPA were higher in LBW infants than infants above 2500 g.
• Placental BPA showed a significant negative correlation with birth weight centile.
• Black mothers' infants had greater placental BPA concentrations than Hispanic ones.

IntroductionBisphenol A (BPA) is a weakly estrogenic compound that has been detected in a wide variety of food products and biological matrices (saliva, blood, urine, etc). Despite the potential risk of human exposure to BPA, little information exists concerning maternal and fetal exposure to BPA during pregnancy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between placental BPA concentration, infant birth weight and calculated birth weight centile, and several other maternal and infant parameters.MethodsPlacental sample were collected from 200 subjects. BPA levels were measured by isotope dilution GC–MS. Additional maternal and infant data were gathered from medical charts and were potential correlates with placental BPA levels.ResultsPlacental BPA concentrations ranged from 4.4 ng/g to 273.9 ng/g in oven-dried tissue (average 103.4 ± 61.8 ng/g). There was a significant negative correlation between calculated birth weight centile and levels of placental BPA (p < 0.05). Low birth weight and small for gestational age infants also had significantly greater placental BPA concentrations as compared to normal weight infants and average/large for gestational age infants. Infants born to African American mothers also had greater placental BPA concentrations as compared to infants born to Hispanic mothers.DiscussionPlacental BPA concentrations are correlated with the growth potential of the fetus and may play a role in reduced fetal growth.