During pregnancy, mothers-to-be generally try to eat better and take better care of themselves in the hopes of improving the health of their infants. Pregnant moms may also try avoiding certain chemical exposures like cigarette smoke and even harsh cleaning products. This can be a tricky task, however. One recent study has found that flame retardant exposure—a difficult exposure to avoid—is linked to lower birth weight in babies.

The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found that for every tenfold increase in PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ether) levels in the mother’s blood, there was a 4.1 ounce drop in the baby’s birth weight. Lead researcher Kim Harley, from the University of California, Berkley’s School of Public Health, stated, “What we saw was a shift toward lighter babies among women with higher PBDE exposure rather than a dramatic increase in the number of low birth weight babies.” For babies already at risk for low birth weight for other reasons, 4.1 ounces would make a big difference.

The PBDEs tested for in the study were actually phased out of use in 2004, but because they are found in many household items, their persistence is still widespread. These chemicals leach from furniture, upholstery, carpet, electronics and more (even baby products and children’s pajamas!), and are stored in fat cells. Flame retardants have been linked to reduced fertility and thyroid dysfunction in women.

How do we get out of this toxic soup? Well, we can’t. But the researchers do recommend wet mopping when dusting since flame retardants are concentrated in dust, and frequent hand washing to avoid ingesting these chemicals.

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An unexpected toxin was recently found to have a strong association with intellectual ability in children — manganese. Where is this manganese coming from?  Surprisingly, from tap water that contains manganese concentrations below the current guidelines for safety. Kids with the most exposure to manganese through tap water were found to have lower IQs than those children who were not exposed.

Workplace manganese exposure has been known to have neurotoxic effect, but this is the first study to look at lower concentrations of manganese from drinking water and food sources and its effects on cognitive function.

Manganese is a naturally occurring toxin found in soils in certain regions, which can then leach into groundwater sources.  This is especially true in parts of Canada where this study took place.  Hopefully more studies will be done and awareness will be raised about filtering this toxic element out of our drinking water.

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