Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Aug 24.
Published in final edited form as: Environ Int. 2019 Jul 24;130:104580. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.02.003

Table 12.

Epidemiology studies of preterm birth/gestational duration

Reference Study description Includes metabolites of: Study evaluation
Population Exposure Outcome DEH-P DIN-P DB-P DIB-P BB-P DE-P Exposur Outcome Selection Confounding Analysis Overall confidence
Included Casas et al. (2016) a Pregnancy cohort in Spain (N = 390) Two urine samples at ~12 and 32 wk gestation GD calculated from ultrasound and last menstrual period ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ G G G G G High
Ferguson et al. (2014a); Ferguson et al. (2014b); Chen et al. (2015); Nested c as e-control within pregnancy cohort in U.S. (N= 130 cases preterm birth, 352 controls) Up to four urine samples menstrual period GD calculated from ultrasound and last ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ G G A A G High
Gao et al. (2016) a Pregnancy cohort in China (N= 3,103) Single urine sample in 1st trimester GD calculated using last menstrual period or ultrasound ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ A/P A A A A Medium
Meeker et al. (2009) Nested c as e-control in pregna cohort in Mexico (N = 30 cases and 30 controls) Single urine sample in 3rd trimester GD calculated from last menstrual period (recall) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ A/P A A A A Medium
Polanska et al. (2016) Pregnancy cohort in Poland (N= 165) Single urine sample in 3rd trimester GD estimated using last menstrual period or ultrasound ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ b ✓ A/P A A G D Medium
Shoaff et al. (2016) Pregnancy cohort in U.S. (N = 368) Two urine samples at ~16 and 26 wk gestation GD calculated from last menstrual period or other method ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ G A A G A High
Smarr et al. (2015) a Preconception cohort in U.S. (n= 233) Single urine sample at baseline of trying to conceive GD calculated from conception identified pro spectively ✓ ✓ b ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ D G A A A Medium
Watkins et al. (2016) Pregnancy cohort in U.S. (N = 68) Two urine samples in 1st trimester and at delivery GD calculated using last menstrual period or ultrasound ✓ ✓ ✓ c ✓ ✓ G A A A D Medium
Total Studies per Phthalate 6 2 6 5 6 6

Excluded studies: Exposure based on tissues other than urine: Brucker-Davis et al. (2010), Huang et al. (2009), Huang et al. (2014), Huang et al. (2014), Latini et al. (2003), Li et al. (2016). Exposure based on occupational exposure with unvalidated matrix: Burdorf et al. (2011). Study entry late in pregnancy (most or all enrollment in 3rd trimester): Adibì et al. (2009), Su et al. (2014), Suzuki et al. (2010), Weinberger et al. (2014), Whyatt et al. (2009), Wolff et al. (2008).

G = good; A = adequate; D = deficient; A/D = adequate for short chain phthalates, deficient for long chain phthalates; GD = gestational duration.

a

Additional analyses pertaining to preterm birth obtained from the study authors.

b

Considered critically deficient for this phthalate due to > 50% less than the LOD.

c

Results presented for summed DBP (MBP and MIBP), and included in analysis under DBP due to higher exposure levels.