# Racial Disparities Associated with Maternal Exposure to Environmental Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in a Southeastern U.S. Community

> **NIH NIH R21** · GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $167,469

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Aims: We propose a prospective cohort study to examine fetal developmental effects from gestational
exposure to endocrine disrupting environmental phenols (EPs) and phthalates (PHTs) in African American
(AA) and white mothers in a southeastern U.S. obstetrical population. The focus will be on how associations
of EPs with fetal developmental outcomes vary by race. We will also explore how co-exposure to both EPs and
PHTs influence these associations.
Significance: The proposed study will fundamentally advance our understanding of racial disparities in
exposure to EPs and how these differences may contribute to reproductive health disparities between AAs
and whites. We will also explore the joint effects of gestational co-exposure to a complex mixture of EPs and
PHTs on fetal development. This study directly addresses significant gaps in our understanding the impact of
highly prevalent EPs and PHTs on fetal development among AAs and lays the foundation for a more definitive
future study of the effect of mixed endocrine disrupting exposures on reproductive health disparities.
Innovation: The proposed study will be the 1st to leverage a cohort of AA and white mothers and their
newborns, to directly assess health disparities in gestational exposure to a mixture of EPs and PHTs with fetal
developmental outcomes. It will be one of few studies to assess the impact of mixed gestational exposure to
EPs and PHTs and the 1st to capture these data in the southeastern U.S., where disparities in rates of
prematurity and low birth weight between AAs and whites is the highest in the U.S.
Preliminary Study: This proposal builds upon a prospective cohort study of 8 prevalent urinary PHTs that we
previously measured and fetal development among AA and white mothers in Charleston, South Carolina. The
results provide strong support for the approach outlined, especially in regard to differential effects by race.
Approach: AA (n=152) and white (n=158) mother-infant pairs completed our study between 2011-2014.
Participants provided urine and blood specimens during gestation and at delivery, had a detailed mid-gestation
fetal ultrasound, completed a study questionnaire about exposure sources and consented to medical records
access. We will measure 10 prevalent EPs in archived maternal urine and correlate the concentrations to birth
outcomes, newborn anogenital distances and penis dimensions by mid-gestation ultrasound and at delivery.
We will explore the impact of co-exposure to EPs and PHTs and how these results vary by race. Successful
completion of our project is ensured by the experience of the team, who worked together to complete the
previous project, and have the necessary expertise in obstetrics, reproductive endocrinology, analytic
chemistry, epidemiology and biostatistical modeling. These data will be used to develop an R01 application to
support a more comprehensive and mechanistic future study to address this important biomedical research
gap re...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10269022
- **Project number:** 5R21ES031231-02
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael S Bloom
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $167,469
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-24 → 2024-02-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10269022

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10269022, Racial Disparities Associated with Maternal Exposure to Environmental Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in a Southeastern U.S. Community (5R21ES031231-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10269022. Licensed CC0.

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