Pregnant women in the U.S. are routinely exposed to dozens of chemicals found in everyday products. Some of these chemicals are linked to poorer birth outcomes, a new study reported.
Researchers from across the country followed more than 5,000 pregnancies over 21 years and found that the typical pregnant woman was exposed to over 40 different chemicals. More than a dozen of the chemicals tested were associated with poorer birth outcomes, including slightly shorter pregnancies, lower birth weight or a higher risk of preterm birth.
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Although the study did not prove that specific chemicals directly caused babies to be born earlier or weigh less, the researchers who led the work said their findings add to growing evidence that reducing exposure to certain chemicals during pregnancy could improve the health of mothers and babies.
“Our study, along with other similar findings, underscores the importance of reducing chemical exposures that impact pregnancy, as even small changes in birthweight or gestational age can have significant impacts on children’s health,” lead author Jessie Buckley, a professor of epidemiology at the University of North Carolina, said.
An unavoidable risk
Beginning in 2000, researchers tested urine samples from pregnant women for 113 chemicals that are commonly encountered in everyday life and that previous research suggested could affect pregnancy or child health. The chemicals included substances found in food packaging, plastics, cosmetics, personal care products and household goods, as well as pollutants such as those produced by vehicle exhaust and burning wood.
Researchers detected 110 of those chemicals in at least one pregnant woman, while 43 were detected in at least half of those who participated in the study.
Multiple kinds of phthalates — chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and widely found in food packaging, vinyl flooring and personal care products — were associated with shorter pregnancies, lower birth weights and, for some, a higher likelihood of preterm birth.
Higher exposure to one group of phthalates, called diisononyl phthalates, was associated with pregnancies that were about 0.6 days shorter on average and a 16% higher odds of preterm birth. Several newer chemicals introduced to replace older phthalates had similar associations with birth outcomes.
Buckley and her colleagues reported that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons — pollutants in vehicle exhaust, wildfire smoke and some grilled or smoked foods — were also associated with lower birth weight.
The researchers noted that many of the chemicals they tested for are difficult to avoid. Pregnant women can be exposed through food, water and air.
“These chemicals are difficult to avoid because they’re found in a wide range of products we use every day. It can be difficult to know whether products contain them, and even when we do know, we have limited control over exposures,” Buckley explained. “Although there are some practical steps people can take, reducing harmful chemicals at the source is the most effective way to protect children and families.”
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