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There has been a rise in premature births, and researchers have found synthetic chemicals called phthalates, which are used in clear food packaging and personal care products, might be a contributing factor, according to a new study.
Story highlights
New research reinforces the growing evidence that phthalates can cause harm
Industry replacements for phthalates are not seen as the solution, according to experts
Preterm babies could be at a higher risk of certain diseases as adults
Previous research has shown that phathalates, known as “everywhere chemicals” due to their widespread usage, are hormone disruptors that can impact the placenta’s functioning. The placenta is vital as it supplies oxygen and nutrients to a developing fetus in the womb.
Lead author Dr. Leonardo Trasande, who is the director of environmental pediatrics at NYU Langone Health, stated, “Phthalates can also contribute to inflammation that can disrupt the placenta even more and set the steps of preterm labor in motion.”
Trasande further explained, “In our new study, we found DEHP and three similar chemicals could be responsible for 5% to 10% of all the preterm births in 2018. This could be one of the reasons why preterm births are on the rise.”
The study, published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health, revealed that this percentage translated into nearly 57,000 preterm births in the United States during 2018, costing society nearly $4 billion in that year alone.
Alexa Friedman, a senior scientist of toxicology at the Environmental Working Group, emphasized that people are often exposed to more than one phthalate from the products they use in their daily lives, which may actually increase the risk of preterm birth.
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Phthalates are used in all manner of food packaging, including the plastic wrap that keeps meat fresh and the liners of some milk and juice containers.
According to the American Chemistry Council, an industry trade association for US chemical companies, the report did not establish causation.
“Not all phthalates are the same, and it is not appropriate to group them as a class,” a spokesperson for the council’s High Phthalates Panel wrote in an email.
Globally, around 8.4 million metric tons of phthalates and other plasticizers are consumed annually, according to European Plasticisers, an industry trade association.
Manufacturers utilize phthalates to make plastic more flexible and harder to break, primarily in polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, products such as children’s toys.
Phthalates are also found in detergents, vinyl flooring, furniture, shower curtains, automotive plastics, lubricating oils and adhesives, rain and stain-resistant products, clothing and shoes, as well as various personal care products including shampoo, soap, hair spray, and nail polish, where they help fragrances last longer.
Trasande stated, “The Consumer Product Safety Commission no longer allows eight different phthalates to be used at levels higher than 0.1% in the manufacture of children’s toys and child care products. However, not all of the eight have been limited in food packaging by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration).”
In response to governmental and consumer concerns, manufacturers may create new versions of chemicals that no longer fall under any restrictions. However, scientists have found that these replacements may not necessarily be safer.
Toxicologist Linda Birnbaum suggested that phthalates should be regulated as a class of chemicals, however, this has not been the case so far.
The new research utilized data from the National Institutes of Health’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes, or ECHO, study, which investigates the impact of early environmental influences on children’s health and development.
The study used data from 5,006 pregnant mothers with urine samples that tested positive for different types of phthalates and compared those with the baby’s gestational age at birth, birthweight and birth length.
After analyzing the information, the researchers confirmed past research showing a significant association of DEHP with shorter pregnancies and preterm birth.
Interestingly, the research team found the three phthalates created by manufacturers to replace DEHP were actually more dangerous than DEHP in inducing preterm birth.
A birth is considered preterm if it occurs before 37 weeks of gestation — a full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks or more. Premature birth may pose risks to the baby’s health as vital organs and part of the nervous system may not be fully developed.
According to the Mayo Clinic, premature babies may have vision, hearing, dental, and intellectual and developmental issues, and may be at risk of cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and mental health disorders later in life.
Trasande and his coauthors have estimated the cost of medical care and lost economic productivity from preterm births to be “a staggering $3.8 billion,” with an additional impact on the health of infants.
There are steps one can take to reduce exposure to phthalates and other chemicals, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ policy statement on food additives and children’s health.
“One is to reduce our plastic footprint by using stainless steel and glass containers, when possible,” said Trasande, who was lead author for the AAP statement.
“Avoid microwaving food or beverages in plastic, including infant formula and pumped human milk, and don’t put plastic in the dishwasher, because the heat can cause chemicals to leach out,” he added. “Look at the recycling code on the bottom of products to find the plastic type, and avoid plastics with recycling codes 3, which typically contain phthalates.”
CNN’s Jen Christensen contributed to this story.
