Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) is widely used as a UV filter in sunscreen products and as a UV stabilizer in various consumer goods such as cosmetics, fabrics, flooring materials, and plastics. Although multiple epidemiological studies have been conducted, the effects of BP-3 exposure on female reproductive health, especially fertility, remain unclear. This study aims to explore the potential relationship between benzophenone-3 concentrations in urine and follicular fluid and indicators of ovarian reserve. The study involved 511 women aged 25 to 39 years who visited an infertility clinic in central Poland for diagnostic evaluation. BP-3 levels in urine and follicular fluid samples were measured using a validated gas chromatography coupled with ion-trap mass spectrometry method. Ovarian reserve was assessed by analyzing antral follicle count (AFC), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (E2) levels. No significant association was observed between BP-3 levels in urine and follicular fluid and any of the ovarian reserve markers (AFC, AMH, FSH, or E2) either across different exposure quartiles and when exposure was analyzed as the continuous variable. In stratified models to evaluate potential effect modification by age (> 35 vs. ≤35 years), among women aged ≤ 35 years, a decrease in AFC associated with urinary BP-3 in the fourth quartile of BP-3 exposure (p = 0.047) and as continuous variable (p = 0.045) was observed. BP-3 levels in urine were not related to AMH, FSH, or E2 concentrations when stratified by age category. The findings suggest a potential link between benzophenone-3 exposure and reduced ovarian reserve. Nonetheless, further investigations involving diverse populations with varying exposure levels, seasonal variability and health-related behaviors are warranted to validate these observations.
Jurewicz et al. (Thu,) studied this question.