Study Finds Toxic Chemicals Present in Most Pregnant Women

Most pregnant women are fastidious about avoiding certain substances, like alcohol, tobacco smoke and caffeine. But that may not be enough.  A study released today found that the majority of pregnant women carry a slew of potentially hazardous chemicals, many that were phased out decades ago.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that 43 of the 163 chemicals they tested were present in the blood and urine of almost all the pregnant women enrolled in the study. These 43 substances included such notorious bad guys as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were phased out in the 1970s due to their association with cancer and neurobehavioral problems; organochlorine pesticides; polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs); polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); and phthalates. BPA, an endocrine disruptor that is found in food linings, receipts and some plastics, was found in 96 percent of the women.

Because many of the chemicals found in the women's blood were banned before they were even born, the study shows the prevalence and persistence of many of these compounds, which can linger in the environment and in the body.

Other chemicals come from everyday sources, like non-stick cookware, furniture, cosmetics and beauty products.

The study didn't show how these chemicals affected a fetus and it's not clear if concentrations were high enough to cause harm. But Sarah Janssen, a senior scientist at the Natural Resource Defense Council, writes that "many of the chemicals are capable of acting together in mixture to cause greater harm than they would alone." She points out that mercury, flame retardant and PCBs can all affect the neurological system, and a combination can do greater damage.

So how do we rid the environment of these pervasive chemicals -- and ensure more aren't introduced onto the market? One of the main hang-ups surrounding the regulation of potentially harmful chemicals is the woefully-weak U.S. Toxic Substance Control Act, which hasn't been updated since it was introduced in 1976.

But science has moved on since then, showing that many of the chemicals on the market are no longer safe. And the original law hardly gives any authority to the EPA to regulate dangerous chemicals. The law needs to be updated in order for the U.S. to remove persistant organic pollutants from our environment. Consumers can also pressure companies to remove BPA from their products and institutions to get rid of known sources of PCBs.

Because although pregnant women can do everything in their power to reduce fetal exposure to pollutants, it's those threats they don't know about which can pose the greatest harm.

Photo credit: Photos by Lina