Objective: To explore the effect of bisphenol A (BPA) exposure on sex hormone levels in occupational women.
Methods: 51 women workers with at least a year of BPA exposure and 104 women workers without BPA exposure were chosen to do a case; control study. The information in general population characteristics, exposure, menstruation state, etc and the venous blood samples on an empty stomach were collected for the two groups. The endocrine hormones levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL) , progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH) were detected by RIA analysis.
Result: The PRL level in the BPA exposure group was significantly higher to that in the control group (t = 2.127, P = 0.047). It was found that the proportion of abnormal PRL in the exposure group was significantly higher to the control group (chi2 = 4.924, P = 0. 026). In the age class of more than 30 years, the proportion of abnormal PRL in the exposure group was significantly higher to the control group (chi2 = 5.131, P = 0.023) and the proportion of abnormal progesterone in the exposure group was significantly to the control group (chi2 = 4.665, P = 0.031)in the same age class. In the people of no taking vitamin, the proportion of abnormal PRL in the exposure group was significantly higher to the control group (chi2 = 6.541, P = 0.011). The proportion of abnormal progesterone in the group of less than 5 years exposure was significantly higher to the group of more than 5 years exposure (chi2 = 3.938, P = 0. 047). The multivariate analysis found that BPA exposure was the independent risk factor to effect serum PRL (OR = 2.623, P = 0.030) of occupational women. Effect of BPA on FSH, E2, LH level couldn't be found through this study.
Conclusion: BPA occupational exposure of women maked PRL level set up and effected progesterone level. After adjusting for age, exposure age and other potential confounding factors, BPA exposure is an independent risk factor to arise the level of serum PRL in occupational women.