It's better to keep away from solvents during pregnancy. According to a new study from France, exposure to solvents, commonly found in paints, cleaning products and cosmetics during pregnancy may escalate the risks of giving birth to babies with birth defects.
The study led by Sylvaine Cordier of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Rennes, France looked at 3,000 pregnant women to examine the risks associated with solvents during pregnancy and found it increasing the risks of newborn malformations like cleft palate and limb deformities, Reuters Health reported.
A cleft lip is a separation in the upper lip and a cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth. The birth defect happens early during pregnancy, when certain components of upper lip and roof of the mouth fail to form normally. A baby can have a cleft lip or a cleft palate or both.
According to a CDC report, each year 2,651 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,437 with cleft lip with or without a cleft palate.
During the study, the participants filled a questionnaire provided by the investigators and shared information about their exposure to the chemical after conceiving the child.
Three percent of the women part of the study gave birth to babies with birth defects. Nearly half of the women (45 percent) were working as nurses, chemists, cleaners, hairdressers or beauticians and reported constant exposure to solvents at work during pregnancy.
Urine samples of the participants indicated the bleach containing solvents and glycol ethers playing major roles in this occurrence.
"This prospective study, using three independent methods of exposure assessment, suggests several specific associations between solvent exposure during early pregnancy and congenital malformations. Results based on urinary biomarkers, although limited by small numbers, identify work situations that require further investigation," the authors wrote, concluding their study.
Findings of the study have been published recently in Epidemiology.
