Common Plastic Chemicals Can Put Pregnant Women At Risk Of Preterm Delivery, Study Suggests

A recent study suggested that exposing pregnant women to common plastic chemicals can increase the risk of preterm delivery. The study was published in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine.

In collaboration with Winthrop University Hospital and Kaiser Permanente Southern California, researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston, U.S., analyzed samples taken from common plastic chemicals called Bisphenol A, otherwise known as BPA. This type of chemical has been commonly used to make certain types of plastics.

Ramkumar Menon, assistant professor at UTMB said women, particularly pregnant women are continually exposed to common plastic chemicals or BPA because it is highly used to make food containers. Apparently, the heat or other heat sources can release the chemical into the food -- making it dangerous for pregnant women. "In fact, BPA is so widely used that nearly all women have some level of exposure," Menon added.

To support the team's notion, researchers collected blood samples from pregnant women too. The collection was made during their hospital admission. The researchers also collected amniotic fluid of the fetus while the women were in labor.

At the end of the research, Menon said the team found out that all patients "have some level of exposure," suggesting that contact with common plastic chemicals is inescapable. Menon then said that the findings can provide more insights about common plastic chemicals or BPA and how can it put women at risk of giving preterm birth.

"This suggests that a better understanding of how BPA may alter maternal physiology is needed to minimize the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes," he said, as per The Economic Times. In an article released by The Health Site, it said that premature deliveries are growing rapidly.

In fact, Dr. Rucha Nanavati, Head of Neonatology, KEM hospital, in Municipal Hospitals of Mumbai said data showed that around 22-24 percent of pregnant women gave birth to premature babies, which is 10 percent higher than the last ten years.

Find out more about the U.S. preterm birth rate by watching the video below. Warn your friends about this life-threatening discovery by sharing the article!