Chemical Commonly Found in Consumer Products May Disrupt a Hormone Needed for Healthy Pregnancy

AHA Publisher — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 08:00:55 +0000

Rutgers University-New Brunswick via Newswise – Exposure to phthalates—a group of chemicals found in everything from plastics to personal care products to electronics—may disrupt an important hormone needed to sustain a healthy pregnancy, according to a Rutgers study. The study, which appears in Environment International, was among the first to examine the impact that phthalates, added to plastics to increase flexibility, have on the placental corticotropin releasing hormone (pCRH) that is produced by the placenta and increases throughout the course of pregnancy. The hormone plays an important role in promoting the onset of labor, but when levels are high or rise rapidly earlier in pregnancy, it may contribute to preterm birth and fetal growth problems as well as high blood pressure, diabetes, and postpartum depression. “We are all exposed to phthalates in our environment through the products we use and the foods we eat,” says Emily S. Barrett, an associate professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health and member of the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute. “Our findings show that these chemicals may alter the production of essential placental hormones, which has important implications for the course of pregnancy as well as subsequent child health and development.” The researchers analyzed data from 1,018 low-risk pregnant women carrying single fetuses at two time points, mid- and late pregnancy. They found that the presence of various phthalates was associated with higher pCRH hormone levels in mid-pregnancy, but lower pCRH later in pregnancy. These levels were strongest in women who developed pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, suggesting that women who develop complications may be particularly vulnerable to this hormonal disruption. This is among the first and largest study so far to examine how these chemicals and the connection with pCRH disrupt the function of the endocrine system, which is especially delicate during pregnancy. “Associations between phthalates and pCRH among women with pregnancy complications grew stronger across the course of pregnancy. We know very little about how women with pregnancy complications are affected by environmental exposures. This study sets the stage for future research in that area,” Barrett said. pCRH produced by the placenta is identical in structure to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) produced by the brain when responding to stress. While this study did not find that women who had experienced childhood traumas were any more vulnerable to the hormone-disrupting effects of phthalates, earlier research found that pCRH levels were higher in women who have experienced childhood trauma suggesting that traumatic events may impact pregnancy decades later. To read the original article click here.

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Chemicals from Hair and Beauty Products Impact Hormones, Especially During Pregnancy

AHA Publisher — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 08:00:22 +0000

Rutgers University-New Brunswick via Newswise – Use of certain personal care products during pregnancy may impact maternal hormone levels, according to a new Rutgers study. Personal care and beauty products contain several ingredients that often include a wide range of endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates, parabens, phenols, parabens and toxic metals. These chemicals interact with hormone systems, influencing synthesis, regulation, transport, metabolism and hormone reception, which are all especially vulnerable during pregnancy. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Institutes of Health-funded study, published in Environmental Research, examined the association between personal care product use and the levels of sex steroid hormones, including estrogens and progesterone and thyroid hormones among pregnant women. The researchers also explored how demographic factors impact the use of certain personal care products. Researchers collected blood samples from 1,070 pregnant women between 18 and 40 years of age enrolled in the Puerto Rico PROTECT Cohort, an ongoing prospective birth study designed to examine environmental exposures in pregnant women and their children who live in the northern karst zone of Puerto Rico. As part of the study, participants underwent physical exams and completed a series of questionnaires providing their demographics, occupation, lifestyle and use of personal care products like fragrances, lotions, cosmetics, nail polish, shaving cream, mouthwash, shampoo and other hair products, such as bleach, relaxers and mousse. Participants also provided blood samples twice throughout their pregnancies, which were analyzed for nine sex steroid and thyroid hormones. The researchers found that the use of hair products, particularly hair dyes, bleach, relaxers and mousse are associated with lower levels of sex steroid hormones, which have a critical role maintaining pregnancy and fetal development. Disruptions of these hormones may contribute to adverse maternal and pregnancy outcomes like growth restriction, preterm birth and low birth weight. “Alterations in hormone levels, especially during pregnancy, can have vast consequences beyond health at birth including changes in infant and child growth, pubertal trajectories the study’s lead author, Zorimar Rivera-Núñez, an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health. “Additional research should address the public health impact of exposure to chemicals in hair products in pregnant populations.” The researchers also found that socioeconomic variables, such as income, education and employment status, influence the use of personal care products among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. For example, participants who reported a household income greater than $100,000 use personal care products more often than participants with lower household incomes. Additionally, employed participants reported using more cosmetics than those who were unemployed. “Prior research has shown that non-pregnant populations have also reported associations between frequency of use and socioeconomic markers, such as household income and education,” Rivera-Núñez said. “A strong culture of beauty influences Latina women, which may impact consistent use of cosmetics through pregnancy. This data is important because it will allow us to identify populations who are at an increased risk of chemical exposures associated with personal care product use.” The researchers, who include individuals from the Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, University of Puerto Rico, University of Georgia and Northeastern University, recommend that primary physicians and obstetricians should speak to reproductive-age women about the potential health impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals, like those found in hair products. To read the original article click here.

The post Chemicals from Hair and Beauty Products Impact Hormones, Especially During Pregnancy appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

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Chemical Commonly Found in Consumer Products May Disrupt a Hormone Needed for Healthy Pregnancy

Chemicals from Hair and Beauty Products Impact Hormones, Especially During Pregnancy