Endocrine disruptors and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A pilot study of INSULIN cohort (Catalonia, Spain)

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The incidence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) has increased in the past 20 years, and it is now diagnosed in up to 10% of all pregnancies. GDM is associated with adverse consequences like preeclampsia, birth complications, as well as with cardiometabolic diseases for both the mother and child. Many environmental factors can cause beta-cell stress, including the developmental exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). The present pilot study was aimed at assessing the exposure to EDCs of pregnant women of INSULIN, a cohort of GDM built at Hospital Joan XXIII (Tarragona, Spain). METHODS: Sociodemographic, dietary and life-style determinants were linked to the occurrence of the EDCs and clinical data, including the development of GDM during pregnancy. The occurrence of BPA and 10 BPA analogues (BPF, BPS, BPAF, BPAP, BPB, BPE, BPG, BPM, BPP, BPZ), phthalates metabolites (mono-ethyl, mono-butyl and mono-methyl); parabens and their metabolites (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl- and butyl-); and flame-retardants (HBCD, TBBPA, TBP) were assessed in urine (12-week and delivery), mother serum (delivery), cord serum and/or placenta of 25 pregnant women by means of LC-QTOF. RESULTS: High detection rates of BPs, phthalate and parabens were found in urine and mother serum, but also their detection in placenta and cord serum, might be slightly related to the use of plastic and personal care products, along with the consumption of canned foodstuffs according to the results of the individual questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The premature state of the results does not allow identifying a potential role of a target EDC (or a mixture of EDCs) on the development of GDM. However, we can confirm the widespread presence of these EDCs in our daily life, which might become a hazard for the health of vulnerable population groups, such as pregnant women and their newborns.