In a 2001 study of Cincinnati-area children, young girls exposed to higher levels of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in utero had more behavioral problems and were more anxious and over-active than those only exposed to small amounts of the chemical.
In 2002, a study of New-York-area children followed African-American and Dominican women and their children from pregnancy to child’s age 5 years, collecting spot urine samples from the mothers during pregnancy (34 weeks on average) and from children between 3 and 4 years of age to estimate BPA exposure. The results suggested that prenatal exposure to BPA may affect child behavior, and differently among boys and girls.
Sources:
- Prenatal Bisphenol A Exposure and Child Behavior in an Inner-City Cohort, NCBI, PMCID: PMC3440080, Apr 27, 2012. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1104492
- Impact of Early-Life Bisphenol A Exposure on Behavior and Executive Function in Children, pediatrics, peds.2011-1335, August 8, 2011.
- Exposure to BPA, chemical used to make plastics, before birth linked to behavioral, emotional difficulties in young girls, Harvard School of Public Health, Press Releases, October 24, 2011
- BPA tied to behavior problems in girls: study, Reuters, idUSTRE79N0X220111024, Oct 24, 2011