Chemicals and Conception

Bisphenol A or BPA and phthalates are chemicals used in the production of certain plastics from food packaging to plastic bottles, shower curtains to toys.Both are known endocrine disruptors meaning they may interfere with hormone systems So, researchers wanted to find out how these chemicals affect couples trying to conceive and a woman’s ability to sustain a pregnancy.In one study, they examined BPA and phthalate levels in 501 couples trying to get pregnant. None had known fertility issues. All underwent blood tests, were interviewed and asked to keep lifestyle journals.The results showed that phthalate concentrations in men may be associated with a 20% decline in reproductive capacity and longer time to pregnancy. In the second study, 114 women in the earliest weeks of pregnancy were recruited and asked to give blood samples. The blood was later tested for BPA levels. In both the women who had given birth and in the women who had had a first trimester miscarriage. Women who had had a miscarriage had higher average BPA levels than those who had live births and the risk of miscarriage increased with increasing levels of BPA.The President of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine says these findings show that these chemicals are a cause for concern to all of us.I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV with the information you need to protect your health.