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ABSTRACT: Background
Parabens are suspected endocrine disruptors and ubiquitous preservatives used in personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and foods. No studies have assessed the variability of parabens in women, including during pregnancy.Objective
We evaluated predictors and variability of urinary paraben concentrations.Methods
We measured urinary concentrations of methyl (MP), propyl (PP), and butyl paraben (BP) among couples from a fertility center. Mixed-effects regression models were fit to examine demographic predictors of paraben concentrations and to calculate intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs).Results
Between 2005 and 2010, we collected 2,721 spot urine samples from 245 men and 408 women. The median concentrations were 112 µg/L (MP), 24.2 µg/L (PP), and 0.70 µg/L (BP). Urinary MP and PP concentrations were 4.6 and 7.8 times higher in women than men, respectively, and concentrations of both MP and PP were 3.8 times higher in African Americans than Caucasians. MP and PP concentrations were slightly more variable in women (ICC = 0.42, 0.43) than men (ICC = 0.54, 0.51), and were weakly correlated between partners (r = 0.27-0.32). Among 129 pregnant women, urinary paraben concentrations were 25-45% lower during pregnancy than before pregnancy, and MP and PP concentrations were more variable (ICCs of 0.38 and 0.36 compared with 0.46 and 0.44, respectively).Conclusions
Urinary paraben concentrations were more variable in women compared with men, and during pregnancy compared with before pregnancy. However, results for this study population suggest that a single urine sample may reasonably represent an individual's exposure over several months, and that a single sample collected during pregnancy may reasonably classify gestational exposure.
SUBMITTER: Smith KW
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3556607 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Smith Kristen W KW Braun Joe M JM Williams Paige L PL Ehrlich Shelley S Correia Katharine F KF Calafat Antonia M AM Ye Xiaoyun X Ford Jennifer J Keller Myra M Meeker John D JD Hauser Russ R
Environmental health perspectives 20120621 11
<h4>Background</h4>Parabens are suspected endocrine disruptors and ubiquitous preservatives used in personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and foods. No studies have assessed the variability of parabens in women, including during pregnancy.<h4>Objective</h4>We evaluated predictors and variability of urinary paraben concentrations.<h4>Methods</h4>We measured urinary concentrations of methyl (MP), propyl (PP), and butyl paraben (BP) among couples from a fertility center. Mixed-effects regression ...[more]