Abstract
BACKGROUND: Parabens are used as antimicrobial excipients in some pharmaceuticals. Parabens may adversely affect reproduction. OBJECTIVES: Determine whether paraben-containing medication contributes to high urinary paraben concentrations. METHODS: Individuals at a fertility clinic provided multiple urine samples during evaluation/treatment and reported 24-h use of medications and personal care products (PCP). Repeated measures models compared specific gravity-adjusted urinary methyl, propyl, and butyl paraben concentrations between samples "exposed" and "unexposed" to paraben-containing medication. RESULTS: Eleven participants contributed 12 exposed and 45 unexposed samples, among which paraben concentrations did not differ. Use within 7h was associated with 8.7-fold and 7.5-fold increases in mean methyl (P=0.11) and propyl (P=0.10) paraben concentrations, respectively, after adjusting for PCP use. However, these associations decreased to 1.3-fold (P=0.76) and 2.6-fold (P=0.34), respectively, after removal of one influential individual. CONCLUSION: Paraben-containing medications contributed to higher urinary paraben concentrations within hours of use.