Thursday, March 11, 2010

Prenatal exposure to phthalates could affect infant behaviour

Phthalates are used to make plastics more flexible and durable.  They are the most abundant man-made environmental pollutants and have been found to disrupt the endocrine system.

Where will you find phthalates?  Everywhere!  Upholstery material, shower curtains, children's toys, metal foils (like those found on yogurt containers), aluminum foil, cosmetics, perfumes, hairspray, nail polish, and food packaging material.  And this is just the short list.

Phthalates have long been suspected in connection with rising infertility rates, particularly among men. These substances are considered highly hazardous to human health because they disrupt the hormonal balance and impair reproduction and development.  New research has found significantly high levels of phthalates in almost 70 percent of girls with early onset of puberty.

Prenatal exposure to phthalates could affect infant behaviour

2 comments:

Adrienne said...

Now that is very interesting and of course, something I was unaware of. But, my cousin has two very small little girls that I babysit quite often so will be sure to let her know about this. Thanks for sharing this information Marti.

healthdesigner said...

You're welcome Adrienne. And thanks for helping to spread the word.