Decreasing Your Toxin Load During Pregnancy
The umbilical cord carries not only the building blocks of life, but, sadly also a steady stream of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides that cross the placenta as readily as residues from cigarettes and alcohol.
WE know that, sometimes, chemicals found in umbilical cord blood are found in higher amounts than in the mother’s blood.
We also know that in utero exposure to toxic chemicals puts the developing baby at risk for adversely health impacts throughout the lifespan, including neurodevelopment delays and deficits, diabetes, obesity and cancer.
In 2005 a study done by EWG and Commonweal, 10 umbilical cord bloods from newborn babies were tested for the presence of toxins.
Researchers found an a total of 287 chemicals and pollutants in these 10 babies born in August and September of 2004 in U.S. hospitals.
Some of the chemicals they found:
Mercury
Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) - tested for 18, found 9. Pollutants from burning gasoline and garbage. Linked to cancer. Accumulates in food chain
Polybrominated dibenzodioxins and furans (PBDD/F) - tested for 12, found 7. Contaminants in brominated flame retardants. Pollutants and byproducts from plastic production and incineration. Accumulate in food chain. Toxic to developing endocrine (hormone) system
Perfluorinated chemicals (PFAs) - tested for 12, found 9. Active ingredients or breakdown products of Teflon, Scotchgard, fabric and carpet protectors, food wrap coatings. Global contaminants. Accumulate in the environment and the food chain. Linked to cancer, birth defects, and more.
Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and furans (PCDD/F) - tested for 17, found 11. Pollutants, by-products of PVC production, industrial bleaching, and incineration. Cause cancer in humans. Persist for decades in the environment. Very toxic to developing endocrine (hormone) system.
Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) - tested for 28, found 21, DDT, chlordane and other pesticides. Largely banned in the U.S. Persist for decades in the environment. Accumulate up the food chain, to man. Cause cancer and numerous reproductive effects.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) - tested for 46, found 32. Flame retardant in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulates in the food chain and human tissues. Adversely affects brain development and the thyroid.
Polychlorinated Naphthalenes (PCNs) - tested for 70, found 50. Wood preservatives, varnishes, machine lubricating oils, waste incineration. Common PCB contaminant. Contaminate the food chain. Cause liver and kidney damage
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - tested for 209, found 147. Industrial insulators and lubricants. Banned in the U.S. in 1976. Persist for decades in the environment. Accumulate up the food chain, to man. Cause cancer and nervous system problems.
2021:
This year, scientists at UC San Francisco tested 30 pregnant women and baby (via cord blood) pairs, and detected 109 chemicals in both.
Among the chemicals found: 55 chemicals never before reported in people and 42 “mystery chemicals,” whose sources and uses are unknown.
Which chemicals?:
The known chemicals detected are found in many different types of products including:
plasticizers (like phthlates) , cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, flame retardants and PFAS compounds, which are used in carpeting, upholstery and other applications.
55 of these 109 chemicals appear not to have been previously reported in people:
1 is used as a pesticide (bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidini-4-y) decanedioate)
2 are PFASs (methyl perfluoroundecanoate, most likely used in the manufacturing of non-stick cookware and waterproof fabrics; 2-perfluorodecyl ethanoic acid)
10 are used as plasticizers (e.g. a new phthalate Sumilizer GA 80 – used in food packaging, paper plates, small appliances)
2 are used in cosmetics
4 are high production volume (HPV) chemicals
37 have little to no information about their sources or uses (e.g., 1-(1-Acetyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl)-3-dodecylpyrrolidine-2,5-dione, used in manufacturing fragrances and paints—this chemical is so little known that there is currently no acronym—and (2R0-7-hydroxy-8-(2-hydroxyethyl)-5-methoxy-2-,3-dihydrochromen-4-one (Acronym: LL-D-253alpha), for which there is limited to no information about its uses or sources
KEY TAKEAWAYS
1. Numbers not as important. Here is the thing: the number of chemicals found is not as important as the fact that there are MANY chemicals that are clearly crossing from the mom, through the placenta, to the baby. (both studies tested for for different chemicals, ie: the 2006 study tested and found mercury. This 2021 study did not look for nor test for mercury so mercury is not included in the final count, but that does not mean it is not there anymore).
2. Sources: The majority of chemicals most likely come from consumer products or other industrial sources. These chemicals have probably been in people for quite some time, but our technology is now helping us to identify more of them
3. ‘Mystery chemicals’ : if we don’t know where this set of chemicals is found we can’t avoid them. Thus, industry needs to be held accountable and forced to share information on new chemicals they developed (and hopefully forced to conduct safety testing on this new chemicals)
4. These figures can cause anxiety, but the reality is that in modern day society we we cannot live in a bubble. HOWEVER that does not mean that we cannot decrease the toxin load during pregnancy!
How to decrease your toxin load during pregnancy
Here is a list of some things that you can do (ideally pre pregnancy) to decrease your toxin load everyday- but particularly during pregnancy.
Invest in a water filter . I like Pure Effects under sink multi stage carbon filters. Aquatru (this affiliate link gives you $100 off) is an countertop reverse osmosis filter which is a great alternative too
Eat organic foods as much as possible
Eat fresh foods, minimize processed & canned foods
Cook and eat at home, minimize takeout and eating out
Avoid eating high mercury fish as well as fish known to have higher levels of other contaminants (read more here)
Avoid eating excess rice products (due to arsenic. Read more here)
Avoid plastics
Avoid cooking with nonstick cookware (safer choices here )
Minimize personal care products used daily
Read ingredients and choose personal care products that are truly non-toxic
Dust often (read why here )
Use non-toxic cleaners (when in doubt water & vinegar or castle soap)
Open windows daily
If air pollution is a factor invest in a high quality air filter (learn how to choose the right one for you here )
Avoid fragrances
Aash hands often
Don’t handle store thermal receipts
Avoid home renovations
SOURCES
https://www.ewg.org/research/body-burden-pollution-newborns
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c05984
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c05984
https://news.berkeley.edu/2016/11/01/study-finds-wide-exposure-to-environmental-toxics-in-cohort-of-pregnant-women/