A Chemical Found in Common Household Items May Disrupt a Hormone Necessary for Healthy Pregnancy

If you’ve never heard of hormone disruptors and are looking to get pregnant, now is the time to learn about them because they may be the cause of any fertility issues. And even if you are not having fertility issues, it’s still important to keep these kinds of chemicals out of your life – or at least minimized. The hormone disruptors we are discussing in this article are pthalates, which is a group of chemicals with similar properties. Unfortunately, they are found many common consumer products.

Minimize Your Exposure to Phthalates for a Healthy Pregnancy

A Rutgers study has found that phthalates can negatively impact pregnancy. This is unfortunate because these chemicals are found in many household items – from plastic to makeup/skincare products to electronics. It is used to increase the flexibility of plastics. The study was originally published in Environment International. It was one of the original studies to look at the effects of phthalates on a hormone that is produced by the placenta throughout pregnancy. This hormone is called placental corticotropin releasing hormone (pCRH).

One of the more important roles of pCRH is to promote the beginning of labor, but when levels rise too rapidly early in pregnancy, it can cause preterm birth or growth problems with the fetus. In addition, increased pCRH too early on could play a role in the woman developing high blood pressure, postpartum depression (PPD) and diabetes.

An author of the study, Emily S. Barrett, states, “We are all exposed to phthalates in our environment through the products we use and the foods we eat.” Well, that is certainly not good news. Could this be one of the reasons why many couples seem to be having infertility issues? It definitely makes you wonder. About their findings, she states, “Our findings show that these chemicals may alter the production of essential placental hormones, which has important implications for the course of pregnancy as well as subsequent child health and development.”

High Levels of Phthalates Associated with Pregnancy Complications

The study included 1,018 women with low-risk pregnancies and analyzed data from two time points: mid- and late pregnancy. When phthalates were present in mid-pregnancy, there were higher levels of pCRH, but when present in late pregnancy, there were lower levels of pCRH. High levels of pCRH were strongest in women who developed pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure and/or gestational diabetes.

Barrett summed up the results: “Associations between phthalates and pCRH among women with pregnancy complications grew stronger across the course of the pregnancy. We know very little about how women with pregnancy complications are affected by environmental exposures. This study sets the stage for future research in that area.”

Her study is the first and largest study as of yet to investigate how phthalates and their ability to disrupt pCRH levels impact the endocrine system. The endocrine system of a pregnant woman is very vulnerable to even slight disruptions in hormones during this time period. For example, if progesterone levels are too low early in pregnancy, the placenta and uterine lining will not fully develop, and the fetus will not survive.

It’s important for both men and women to avoid hormone disruptors, especially if they are looking to conceive. In today’s world, there is a long list of known and potential hormone disruptors that we need to be aware of. Avoid products with the number 3 within the arrow and the letters “V” or “PVC” below the arrows. Products with the numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5 are phthalate-free.

References

Science Daily

Zero Breast Cancer

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