Americans are exposed to hundreds of Bromazolam Powder for sale in the course of a regular day. Furniture is coated with flame retardants that filter into house dust that settles all around us. Pesticides are sprayed on farmland, but also on suburban lawns and then blown around with the wind into our homes through open windows and cracks in the structure, or we track them into the house on our shoes. Our plastic water bottles contain BPA or its replacements, which are also known hormone disrupters.
Cash register receipts are also coated with BPA, as are fast food containers, pizza boxes, and other coated paper goods. Our body products, such as soaps, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, moisturizers, make-ups, deodorants, and fragrances contain sulphates, phthalates, and parabens. Our cleaning products around the home also contain them. The chemicals are on and in the food we eat and in the water we drink. They enter our bodies by eating or drinking them, breathing them into our lungs, or absorbing them through our skin.
This chemical exposure is a problem for expectant parents in a number of ways. In addition to causing various cancers, obesity, and other health concerns, chemicals, especially endocrine-disrupting ones, can make it difficult to get pregnant. They can affect the woman’s normal hormonal cycles, even making her infertile. The chemicals can disturb a man’s ability to make healthy sperm, and make him infertile too. During pregnancy, exposure to some chemicals can cause deadly consequences, like early and late-term miscarriage or pregnancy loss, preterm delivery, stillbirth, and the death of exposed newborn babies. Also the way these chemicals can disrupt the way DNA expresses, creating the potential for serious problems with a developing fetus, is deeply concerning.
Babies growing in the womb are extremely sensitive to some of these toxins. Since every bone, muscle, and organ, including the brain, are rapidly developing as the fetus forms and grows, fetuses are at high risk for abnormal development at certain times during the pregnancy, especially early on. Continued exposure during pregnancy can alter physical and mental development, and cause birth defects and neurological problems. Researchers point to chemical exposure in utero as a possible reason for the rapid increase in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders.
Some chemicals can also be passed from mother to baby through breast milk, which is upsetting especially because we are often told that “breast is best.” While breast milk can be a method of exposure for newborns and infants, it is also nutritionally the optimal food for growing babies. Concerned parents should keep in mind that water and formula, made from cow’s milk, soy, corn or other sources may be contaminated by chemicals too, and don’t offer the same living antibodies or customized nutrition as breast milk.
There is no doubt that this news is alarming, and very scary for parents-to-be. Experts in the field suggest that a massive consumer movement will be necessary to change governmental regulations and force manufacturers to become more environmentally responsible. It is possible to do — the United Kingdom has taken a much more proactive stance towards dealing with environmental toxins and they regulate thousands of chemicals, while the United States only regulates a handful of them now.
If you are thinking about starting a family or trying to conceive, until regulations change, it’s up to you to do what you can to reduce your chemical exposures. A great place to start is by visiting the Environmental Working Group’s website at http://www.ewg.org. They have information about all the issues relating to chemicals in our environment, and have large product databases that you can search to see how the personal care and household products you use rate in terms of toxin exposure, as well as dozens of suggestions for products that are highly rated as healthier choices. Their list of the “Dirty Dozen” points out fruits, like apples, that are heavily contaminated with pesticides suggesting that organic is the best choice, while their “Clean Fifteen” lists minimally contaminated produce, such as avocados and cantaloupe, which are probably fine if you purchase ones that are conventionally grown.
