Bisphenol A exposure in womb affects girls’ behavior, study finds

Bisphenol A, the chemical used to make some hard-plastic products, has been linked in several studies with health problems in babies and children. A study published Monday again suggests a strong reaction from gestational exposure to the substance.

Researchers at Harvard looked at the urine samples of 244 pregnant women in the Cincinnati area. The urine was tested again at birth for the presence of BPA. The children born to these women were also tested for BPA and underwent behavioral evaluations.

The research showed no link between childhood BPA exposure and behavioral issues. However, gestational BPA exposure was linked to more behavior problems at age 3, especially in girls. Behavior problems were described as issues such as aggression, inattention, hyperactivity, depression and anxiety. Other studies have linked maternal BPA levels to hyperactivity, aggression and social cognition problems in children.

It’s not clear why the girls in the study were affected more, the authors said. It could be that girls are more sensitive to BPA than boys.

Other studies are ongoing to determine how consumers should deal with BPA exposure. The authors of the new paper wrote that doctors “may advise concerned patients to reduce exposure to certain consumer products, but the benefits of such reductions are unclear.”

The study is published in the journal Pediatrics.

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