Prenatal urinary BTEX metabolite levels and length of gestation: preliminary results from a metropolitan Detroit birth cohort - Takeaways - MDSpire
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Association Between Prenatal Urinary BTEX Metabolite Concentrations and Gestational Duration: Initial Findings from a Birth Cohort in Metropolitan Detroit

  • By

  • Homègnon A Ferréol Bah

  • Qiong Zhang

  • Yichu Wang

  • Emily Leydet

  • Mei Lu

  • Judy Westrick

  • Paul Stemmer

  • Christine Cole Johnson

  • Jennifer K Straughen

  • Andrea E Cassidy-Bushrow

  • September 19, 2026

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  • 1

    This study measured urinary BTEX metabolites in 40 pregnant participants to explore their relationship with gestational length.

  • 2

    Negative correlations were found between ethylbenzene metabolite phenylglyoxylic acid and gestational length (ρ=−0.37, p=0.018).

  • 3

    Xylene metabolite methylhippuric acid also showed a negative correlation with gestational length (ρ=−0.35, p=0.026).

  • 4

    Increased exposure to BTEX metabolites was associated with shorter gestational length, particularly among stratified infant sex groups.

  • 5

    The study highlights the need for further research with a larger cohort to confirm associations between BTEX metabolites and preterm birth.

Original Source(s)

Prenatal urinary BTEX metabolite levels and length of gestation: preliminary results from a metropolitan Detroit birth cohort

  • by Homègnon A Ferréol Bah, Qiong Zhang, Yichu Wang, Emily Leydet, Mei Lu, Judy Westrick, Paul Stemmer, Christine Cole Johnson, Jennifer K Straughen, Andrea E Cassidy-Bushrow

  • September 19, 2026

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