The increased exposure to toxic products is a threat to human health and reproduction, according to a group of international experts.
The gynecologists are pushing a cry of alarm. Human health and reproduction are threatened by the significant increase in exposure to toxic products over the past 40 years, warns the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO).
“We are drowning our world in untested and dangerous products, and we are paying a heavy price in terms of reproductive health, warns Gian Carlo Di Renzo, Honorary Secretary of FIGO and lead author of the call published this Thursday in International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
A host of responsible products
Miscarriages, stillbirths, growth retardation, congenital or neurodevelopmental anomalies or even hyperactivity are some of the health problems linked to exposure to toxic products. FIGO experts point the finger at pesticides, air pollutants, plastics and solvents.
According to FIGO, the chemical industry has a bright future in developing countries over the next five years. Additional tons of untested chemicals will travel around the world and in turn affect our health.
“In these countries, acute respiratory infections are twice as likely to be caused by pollutants compared to rich countries,” notes Linda Giudice, member of the international expert group.
Take action to protect our health
Faced with the 3 million deaths attributable to air pollution and the economic weight represented by the health care it entails, experts call on doctors, midwives and all health professionals concerned with reproduction to to act. “We believe they need to do more than just educate patients about the health risks associated with chemical exposure,” says Jeanne Conry, co-author of the scientific article. We must advocate for policies that will protect our patients from the dangers of unintentional exposure to toxicants ”.
These preventive measures would also involve increased control of food production, according to experts. They explain that the guarantee of a healthy food chain without pesticides and of uncontaminated water is essential to protect the environment as well as our health.
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