Study Ties Exposure to High Levels of Phthalates During Pregnancy to Preterm Birth

A latest study links significant exposure to phthalates, chemicals commonly found in plastics and other products, in pregnant women to increased risk of early birth.

According to the study reported in the JAMA Pediatrics, the risk of preterm delivery increases when a pregnant woman is exposed to phthalates. Exposure to the chemicals is through contaminated water, food and other personal care items such as deodorants, perfumes and lotions.

Phthalates, the chemical plasticizers that have dominated the market since the 1950s are also found in toys, car care products, plastic wraps, furniture and other products made of PVC. People ingest, inhale and absorb the chemical through their skin and this quickly enters the blood stream. Estimates claim that in a year nearly 1 billion pounds of phthalates are produced and 95 percent humans have noticeable levels of phthalates present in the urine.

Studies done earlier revealed that pregnant women, who were exposed to phthalates in their workplace, were two times more likely to give birth to boys with a reproductive birth defect called hypospadias.

Highlighting the dangers, the current study claims that this chemical doubles the risk of preterm birth in pregnant women.

Preterm or premature babies are born before 37 weeks of gestation period. These preterm infants are born with less body weight. They also suffer from respiratory failure, infection and congenital malformation, which may even result in the death of the infant.

Earlier exposure to this chemical in women was linked to disrupted thyroid hormone levels, breast cancer and endometriosis.

In the present study led by Kelly K. Ferguson of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, the team of researchers analyzed the link between phthalate exposure during pregnancy and the risk of preterm birth.  They studied 130 women at Brigham and Women's Hospital who had preterm birth. The study also included 352 women as control participants. The participant's urine samples were analyzed during pregnancy to check the level of phthalate metabolites.

The researchers noticed a strong correlation between rise in some phthalate metabolite concentration in the participant's urine during pregnancy and the higher risk of preterm birth.

"Our results indicate a significant association between exposure to phthalates during pregnancy and preterm birth, which solidifies prior laboratory and epidemiologic evidence. Furthermore, as exposure to phthalates is widespread and because the prevalence of preterm birth among women in our study cohort was similar to that in the general population, our results are generalizable to women in the United States and elsewhere. These data provide strong support for taking action in the prevention or reduction of phthalate exposure during pregnancy," revealed the study authors.