Flame retardant exposure 'linked to lower birth weight'
Wednesday 31st August 2011
Exposure to flame retardants commonly found in household products during pregnancy could result in a lower birth weight, according to new research.
A University of California study revealed that for every tenfold increase in levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) into a mother’s blood during pregnancy, there was a corresponding 115 gram drop in the birth weight of her baby.
Kim Harley, lead author of the study, which was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, compared the statistic to smoking during pregnancy, which is believed to cause a 150 to 250 gram decrease in birth weight.
"This was a very healthy population, and we didn't see many low birth weight babies. 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," she noted.
However, researchers noted that while the study found an overall decrease in birth weight, there were very few infants born weighing less than 2,500 grams, which is the clinical definition of a low birth weight.
The study examined PBDEs found in the PentaBDE flame retardant mixture. Foam furniture, baby products and carpet padding commonly contain this chemical.
While PDBEs where phased out in the US in 2004, the chemicals can still be found in older furniture and household items.
It is believed that the chemical infiltrates the environment and accumulate in fat cells in humans.
According to recent biomonitoring studies estimate that detectable levels of PBDEs can be found in up to 97 per cent of American people.
The University of Berkeley’s Brenda Eskenazi, who ran the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas study of which this research was a part, commented on the findings.
"There is a growing body of evidence that PBDE exposure impacts human health, and not a lot of evidence that these chemicals are making our homes safer from fires," she said.
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