Pregnant Women Exposed to Everyday Chemicals, Major Study Finds

A large new pregnancy health study has found that many pregnant women are regularly exposed to dozens of everyday chemicals from common sources such as food packaging, personal care products, household items, and air pollution.

Researchers reported that some of these chemical exposures during pregnancy may be linked to important birth outcomes, including preterm birth, early delivery, and low birth weight. These factors can affect a child’s health not only at birth but also later in life.

The research was led by scientists from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, and the Woods Institute for the Environment. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

The study is considered one of the largest investigations into prenatal chemical exposure. It highlights growing concern about how chemicals found in daily products and the environment may influence maternal health, fetal development, and newborn health.

Experts say the findings show the need for stronger awareness of environmental health risks, especially during pregnancy, when the developing baby may be more sensitive to harmful substances.

Study Finds Wide Chemical Exposure in Daily Life

The study found that participants were exposed to an average of 45 different chemicals during pregnancy. These included phthalates, replacement plasticizers, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, and halogenated phenols.

These environmental chemicals are commonly found in everyday sources such as food, drinking water, air pollution, personal care products, fragrances, and household items.

According to Jessie Buckley, PhD, first author of the study and professor of epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, these chemicals are hard to avoid because they are used in many products people use every day. She explained that consumers often do not know whether a product contains these substances. Even when they do know, they may not have much control over their chemical exposure.

Buckley said that while people can take some practical steps to reduce contact with these substances, the strongest protection comes from reducing harmful chemicals at the source. This means limiting or removing dangerous substances before they reach children, families, and pregnant women.

Phthalates and Plasticizer Substitutes Still Found in Daily Products

The study found that phthalates and replacement plasticizers are still common chemicals in everyday life. These substances are often used in consumer products, including items made for babies and children, such as toys, diaper creams, shampoos, and other personal care products.

In 2017, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission permanently banned or strongly limited eight widely used phthalates in children’s toys and certain child-related products. The decision was made because exposure to these chemicals may lead to harmful health effects.

However, the restrictions did not apply to many other products that people may use during pregnancy. This means pregnant women may still come into contact with these chemicals through common household and personal items.

The new research found several phthalates in participants’ samples, including some chemicals used as replacements for older restricted substances. Researchers also detected different plasticizer compounds in the urine samples collected during the study.

These findings suggest that even when some chemicals are restricted, similar replacement chemicals may continue to appear in the environment and in products used every day.

Read Also: Ape Laughter Hints at Human Speech [Hidden Origin]

Researchers Analyzed Over 5,000 Mothers and Children

The study reviewed health data from more than 5,000 mother-child pairs. The children in the study were born between 2000 and 2021.

Researchers tested maternal urine samples to measure different chemical exposures during pregnancy. They then compared those results with key birth outcomes, including pregnancy duration, gestational age, and birth weight.

The goal was to understand whether exposure to environmental chemicals during pregnancy may be linked to how early a baby is born or how much the baby weighs at birth.

Common Chemicals Linked to Shorter Pregnancy and Lower Birth Weight

Researchers tested for 113 chemicals often found in homes, air, food, and water. On average, each maternal urine sample contained 45 chemicals, while one sample had as many as 64 chemicals.

The research team compared these chemical exposure levels with important birth outcomes, including gestational age, pregnancy length, and birth weight.

The study found that several phthalates and alternative plasticizers were linked to shorter pregnancies. Researchers also found that phthalates, replacement plasticizers, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, also known as PAHs, were associated with lower birth weight.

Some less-studied environmental chemicals, including halogenated phenols, were also connected with lower newborn birth weight.

The study also detected newer plasticizer chemicals that were created to replace better-known harmful substances, such as phthalates. However, researchers found that some of these replacement chemicals may have similar health effects to the older chemicals they were meant to replace.

Overall, the findings suggest that prenatal chemical exposure from everyday sources may affect fetal development, pregnancy duration, and infant health.

Experts Urge Better Rules for Chemical Safety

Researchers say the findings show a clear need for stronger chemical safety policies to protect people from toxic chemicals, especially during pregnancy.

Tracey Woodruff, PhD, senior researcher and professor of epidemiology and population health at Stanford University, said the study found that some newer chemicals created to replace harmful substances may also carry health risks. This means new chemicals and replacement chemicals should be carefully tested before they are allowed in the market.

Woodruff also said that government agencies should use these findings when reviewing the health risks of chemicals such as phthalates. Stronger action could help reduce chemical exposure and support healthier pregnancies.

Jessie Buckley, PhD, said the study adds to growing evidence that reducing chemical exposures during pregnancy is important for protecting children’s health. Even small changes in birth weight or gestational age can affect a child’s development and long-term well-being.

Researchers also noted that many sources of environmental chemical exposure are difficult for individuals to control alone. This is why stronger rules, better product safety testing, and reduced use of harmful chemicals at the source may be the most effective way to protect pregnant women, babies, and families.

Reducing Harmful Chemicals Can Help Protect Families

Tracey Woodruff explained that pregnant people may face chemical exposure from many different sources, and several of these exposures are outside their personal control.

She said governments and companies should take stronger action to reduce harmful chemicals in everyday products. She also stressed that new chemicals should be tested for safety before they are widely used. These steps could help support healthier children, safer pregnancies, and stronger family health.

The research was supported by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program, also known as ECHO, through the Office of the Director at the National Institutes of Health.

Summary

A major study found that pregnant women are exposed to many everyday chemicals from food packaging, personal care products, household items, water, and air pollution.Researchers detected an average of 45 chemicals in participants, including phthalates, replacement plasticizers, PAHs, and halogenated phenols.These chemicals were linked to possible risks such as shorter pregnancy, preterm birth, and lower birth weight.The study suggests that some newer replacement chemicals may be as harmful as the older chemicals they were designed to replace.Experts say stronger chemical safety policies are needed to protect pregnant women, babies, children, and families.