Personal Care Product Use Is Associated With Elevated Phthalate Levels During Pregnancy in the Atlanta African American Maternal Child Cohort [ID 1393]

INTRODUCTION: Personal care products (PCPs) contain phthalates, a class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals that have been linked to an increased risk of preterm birth. Few studies have evaluated if PCP use is associated with higher levels of phthalates of emerging concern. METHODS: Participants were a subset of the Atlanta African American Maternal–Child Cohort (N=153). Concentrations of 12 individual phthalate metabolites were measured in urine samples collected during early pregnancy (8–14 weeks of gestation). Personal care product use was obtained through a self-reported questionnaire. Linear regression was leveraged to estimate associations between utilization of PCPs (eg, cosmetics, hair products) and urinary concentrations of the sum of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (ΣDEHP), di(isononyl) phthalate metabolites (ΣDINP), anti-androgenic phthalate metabolites (ΣAA), and individual phthalate metabolites. RESULTS: Associations between use of PCPs and phthalate concentrations were stronger among those who used these products more frequently. Monthly hair product use was associated with a statistically significant increase in urinary concentration of ΣAA (β=0.8; 95% CI, 0.02, 1.57) compared to those who did not use hair products. Weekly or daily hair relaxer use was associated with a statistically significant decrease in ΣDEHP compared to those who reported no hair relaxer use (β=−0.16; 95% CI, −0.48, −0.03). The use of cosmetics was associated with a significant increase in ΣDEHP, ΣAA, and mono-carboxy-isononyl phthalate (MCINP). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Among African American pregnant persons, more frequent use of hair products and cosmetics was associated with a significant increase in urinary concentration of phthalates. Patient counseling to reduce the use of phthalate-containing PCPs can effectively reduce exposure.