Endocrine disruptors and hormone levels during pregnancy

Can endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) influence a mother’s hormone levels during pregnancy? In this webinar, Brad Ryva and Dr. Diana Pacyga discussed their recent study investigating this possibility in pregnant women enrolled in the Illinois Kids Development Study (I-KIDS). This is one of the first studies to investigate mixtures of EDCs and hormone levels during pregnancy. They studied known EDCs, including DEHP and bisphenol A (BPA), as well as chemicals used as replacements, such as DiNCH and bisphenol S (BPS). 

They reported that exposure to certain chemicals during pregnancy was associated with altered maternal hormone levels. In some cases the relationships differed depending on fetal sex. Since hormone levels guide development of the fetus and have effects that can last throughout life, these findings are critically important.

This webinar was moderated by Sarah Howard of the Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies (HEEDS) program of Environmental Health Sciences.