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
- 0001 What Is Male Hypogonadism? [Last Updated On: December 22nd, 2024] [Originally Added On: July 18th, 2020]
- 0002 What Is Low-t And How Can It Effect My Life? [Last Updated On: August 12th, 2025] [Originally Added On: July 22nd, 2020]
- 0003 Identification Of Late Onset Hypogonadism In Middle Aged And Elderly Men [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2025] [Originally Added On: July 24th, 2020]
- 0004 Importance Of Hormone Balance For A Man's Health [Last Updated On: August 10th, 2025] [Originally Added On: July 25th, 2020]
- 0005 Subcutaneous Injection Procedures [Last Updated On: August 9th, 2025] [Originally Added On: July 30th, 2020]
- 0006 Genetics And Gene Therapy. What Are Genes? [Last Updated On: June 15th, 2025] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2020]
- 0007 Whey Protein [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2025] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- 0008 Hormone Replacement Therapy Blood Testing [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2025] [Originally Added On: August 7th, 2020]
- 0009 Gh-rh [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2025] [Originally Added On: August 12th, 2020]
- 0010 How Does Growth Hormone Testing Work? [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2025] [Originally Added On: August 15th, 2020]
- 0011 Important Figures In Hormone Replacement Therapy Research [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2025] [Originally Added On: August 16th, 2020]
- 0012 Certified Age-management And Longevity Professionals [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2025] [Originally Added On: August 28th, 2020]
- 0013 Bio-identical Genotropin Hormone Replacement Therapy [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2025] [Originally Added On: September 4th, 2020]
- 0014 HGH Injections [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2023] [Originally Added On: March 7th, 2021]
- 0015 Growth Hormone Injection Treatment For Women [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2025] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2021]
- 0016 Buy Growth Hormone Injection Treatment For Men [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2025] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2021]
- 0017 The Conscious Evolution Institute For Quality Hormone Replacement Therapy [Last Updated On: October 29th, 2024] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2021]
- 0018 25 Foods That Can Improve Your Health [Last Updated On: October 28th, 2024] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2021]
- 0019 Change Your Life With A Conscious Evolution Lifestyle [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2025] [Originally Added On: March 12th, 2021]
- 0020 Understanding The Various Causes Of Human Obesity [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2025] [Originally Added On: March 13th, 2021]
- 0021 Male Hormone Replacement Therapy Blood Panel [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2025] [Originally Added On: March 15th, 2021]
- 0022 Getting Started With Hormone Replacement Therapy [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2025] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2021]
- 0023 Buy Female Blood Diagnostics [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2024] [Originally Added On: March 18th, 2021]
- 0024 Low Testosterone and other Sex Drive Killers that Cause Low Libido in Men [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2025] [Originally Added On: May 1st, 2022]
- 0025 The effects of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) on the skin [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2025] [Originally Added On: May 8th, 2022]
- 0026 Testicle Tanning – See Through the Hype [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2025] [Originally Added On: May 30th, 2022]
- 0027 Lean Muscle Mass Critically Important to Healthy Aging [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2025] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2022]
- 0028 Can Vitamin B6 Help Relieve Anxiety? [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2025] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2022]
- 0029 Matching Libidos Ensure Healthy Relationships [Last Updated On: March 5th, 2025] [Originally Added On: December 11th, 2022]
- 0030 How Fluctuating Libidos Affect Aging Men and Women [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2025] [Originally Added On: January 10th, 2023]
- 0031 Adopting a Conscious Evolution Lifestyle for Improved Health and Longevity [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2025] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2025]
- 0032 Male Hormone Replacement Therapy: Diagnostic Blood Test Regime [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2025] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2025]
- 0033 Unleash the Power of Vitamin B6: The Natural Antidote to Anxiety! [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2025] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2025]
- 0034 The Impact of Human Growth Hormone Deficiency in Men [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2025] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2025]
- 0035 Maintaining Lean Muscle Mass: A Crucial Facet of Healthy Aging [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2025] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2025]
- 0036 Introduction to Testicle Tanning [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2025] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2025]
- 0037 Introduction to Hormone Replacement Therapy [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2025] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2025]
- 0038 Importance of Matching Libidos for Healthy Relationships [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2025] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2025]
Word Count: 602