Bisphenols Reprogram the Placenta to Make Babies Fatter

BPA, BPF, and BPS are changing the DNA in your placenta. And those changes are making your baby store more fat.

205 Mothers, Measurable Changes

A 2026 study in Environ Res tracked 205 mother-child pairs in Shanghai. They measured bisphenol levels in maternal urine during late pregnancy and analyzed DNA methylation in placental tissue at five thyroid hormone-related genes.

BPA, BPF, and BPS all increased methylation at the SLC16A2 gene. This gene controls thyroid hormone transport. When it's over-methylated, it gets silenced.

10-16% of the Fat Gain Explained

The altered SLC16A2 methylation mediated 10-16% of the link between bisphenol exposure and increased infant skinfold thickness (a measure of body fat). The bisphenols reprogram the placenta's thyroid hormone machinery, and the baby comes out fatter because of it.

All Three Bisphenols Do It

BPA, BPF, and BPS all produced the same effect. The "BPA-free" alternatives (BPF and BPS) weren't protective. They hit the same gene, caused the same methylation change, and contributed to the same outcome.

What Expecting Parents Can Do

Avoid all bisphenols, not just BPA. Skip canned foods, thermal receipts, and plastic food containers during pregnancy. Use glass and stainless steel. And choose non-toxic baby products from the start.

Also see glass food storage for safer alternatives.

Source: Chen et al. (2026). Environ Res.