Amniocentesis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Amniocentesis, including details on pregnancy, prenatal screening, diagnosis, risks, down syndrome.

Xenobiotic phenols in early pregnancy amniotic fluid.

Engel SM, Levy B, Liu Z, Kaplan D, Wolff MS

Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1043, New York, NY 10029, USA.

We found detectable levels of three phytoestrogens (enterolactone, daidzein and genistein) and bisphenol A (BPA) in 21 residual amniotic fluid specimens that were collected before 20 weeks gestation. Samples were obtained by amniocentesis from women who were referred to the Mount Sinai Medical center because of advanced maternal age. Phytoestrogens were present in higher concentrations than BPA. Enterolactone was detected at the highest concentration (median 95.9mug/L), followed by daidzein and genistein (9.5 and 1.4mug/L, respectively). BPA was present at very low concentrations (10%>LOD of 0.5mug/L). The relative concentration of the chemicals measured in amniotic fluid were identical to those in urine reported by other studies, i.e. enterolactone>daidzein>genistein>>BPA. Amniotic fluid is a source of fetal exposure to polar xenobiotics that come from the mother.

Published 9 January 2006 in Reprod Toxicol, 21(1): 110-2.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Amniocentesis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.