Flame retardants used in yoga mats and other polyurethane items are believed to have an impact on fertility, study finds.
You do gymnastics, do fitness exercises or do yoga. We can only rejoice, but beware: according to a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives and conducted by Harvard University, the mats you train on could prove to be very toxic.
The authors have indeed highlighted the deleterious effects on fertility of a chemical component used in carpets as a flame retardant, but also in sofas, car seats and other material made with polyurethane.
Impact on IVF
The researchers observed that many of the women included in the study had high concentrations of organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) in their urine. These women had a lower chance of becoming pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF).
To reach this conclusion, the researchers collected urine samples from 211 women who had undergone IVF between 2005 and 2015. They observed that 87% of the samples contained bi-phosphate, 94% contained diphenyl phosphate (DPHP ) and 80% contained isopropylphenyl phenyl phosphate (ip-PPP)
Women who had the highest DPHP and ip-PPP concentrations had a 10% lower chance of achieving fertilization and a 31% lower chance of having a successful embryo implantation. They were also less likely to complete their pregnancy (- 41%) and give birth to a healthy child (- 38%).
Stay away from these substances
“These results suggest that exposure to flame retardants may be one of the risk factors that decrease the chances of reproduction,” write the authors. They add to the body of evidence that indicates there is a need to reduce the use of these substances and identify safer alternatives ”.
Women looking to conceive should steer clear of these substances, choosing material without flame retardants, the researchers insist.
.
