In the United States, 10% of premature births are linked to pregnant women’s exposure to phthalates, according to a new study.
- In the United States, one in ten premature births is linked to the exposure of pregnant women to phthalates, according to a new Lancet study.
- “We estimated 56,595 premature births attributable to phthalates in 2018, with associated health costs of up to $84 billion,” the study authors write.
- The proportion of phthalates can reach up to 50% in certain products, notably in plastic bags, window frames, food packaging, raincoats, shower curtains, etc.
In the United States, one in ten premature births are linked to exposure of pregnant women to phthalates, according to a new Lancet study.
“Prematurity is highly multifactorial, with numerous risk factors (maternal age, inadequate prenatal care, pre-eclampsia, etc.) most of which are not easily modifiable or preventable” the researchers indicate in the introduction.
“Phthalates are chemicals widely used in consumer products. They have already been shown to contribute to premature births, but existing studies on this issue have methodological limitations,” continue the scientists.
56,595 premature births attributable to phthalates
To provide additional data on the subject, they analyzed the level of phthalates in the urine of more than 5,000 pregnant women in the United States.
“In this prospective analysis, we used already existing data from the ECHO (Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes) program to study the associations between 20 phthalate metabolites, gestational age at birth and birth weight”specifies the report.
Bottom line: the 10% of women with the highest levels of phthalates had a 50% increased risk of premature birth (defined as gestation less than 37 weeks) compared to the 10% with the lowest levels.
“We estimated 56,595 premature births attributable to phthalates in 2018, with associated health costs of up to $84 billion,” also write the authors of the study.
These chemicals “can thus precipitate labor and early births”, concludes Dr. Leonardo Trasande, director of research.
Premature births: where are the phthalates found?
The proportion of phthalates can reach up to 50% in certain products, notably in plastic bags, window frames, food packaging, raincoats, shower curtains, boots, garden hoses, toys for children and medical devices.
“Direct contact with air, water, food or objects placed in the mouth represent the main routes of exposure to phthalates in humans,” specifies theNational Institute of Public Health of Quebec.
