Maternal bisphenol-A levels at delivery: a looming problem?

The objective was to determine whether bisphenol-A (BPA) is found in maternal circulation of pregnant women in the US population and is related to gestational length and birth weight. Circulating levels of BPA were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry at delivery in 40 southeastern Michigan mothers and correlated with gestational length and birth weight of offspring. Maternal levels of unconjugated BPA ranged between 0.5 and 22.3 ng ml−1 in southeastern Michigan mothers. There was no correlation between BPA concentrations and gestational length or birth weight of offspring. This is the first study to document measurable levels of BPA in maternal blood of the US population. Long-term follow-up studies of offspring are needed to validate or refute concerns over human fetal exposure to synthetic exogenous steroids.