CANBERRA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) — An Australian study found common plastic chemicals exposure in pregnancy does not raise preterm birth risk, challenging earlier global research.
Phthalates, found in food packaging and personal care items, are endocrine disruptors previously linked to shorter pregnancies and higher preterm birth rates, according to a statement released Friday by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).
SAHMRI scientists tested urine from 605 pregnant women at 22-26 weeks for 13 phthalate metabolites as part of the national ORIP omega-3 pregnancy trial.
Published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth in London, the study found phthalates in 99 percent of the participants, but no link to gestation length or preterm birth.
“Phthalates were found in almost every single woman in our study, they are extremely common in the modern environment,” said lead researcher Karen Best from SAHMRI and Australia’s University of Adelaide.
The findings offered “reassuring” Australian-specific data on gestation and preterm birth, but Best cautioned that phthalates may still pose other health risks not assessed in the study.
The study also noted higher phthalate levels among women with lower incomes and education levels, those with higher body mass index, and those who smoked before pregnancy. ■