Research from the University of Michigan School of Public Health has found bisphenol A (BPA) in fetal liver tissue, demonstrating that there is considerable exposure to the chemical during pregnancy (Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology, December 3, 2012).
The study authors also found a proportionately higher concentration of free BPA -- as opposed to the conjugated forms modified by the body for elimination -- further showing that in fetuses the ability to eliminate the chemical from the body is not the same as in adults.
Muna Nahar, a doctoral student in the department of environmental health sciences and first author on the paper, studied the livers of 50 first- and second-trimester fetuses, using high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Nahar and colleagues found wide variances in the amount of BPA present in livers, with some fetuses showing high levels of exposure.
Previous animal studies have associated BPA -- which is used in some dental sealants -- with breast and prostate cancer and reproductive and behavioral abnormalities. In addition, some research has tied BPA to cardiovascular disease, miscarriage, decreased semen quality, and childhood behavioral issues. The chemical also may affect metabolism, diabetes, and obesity, although more studies are required to determine its effects.
