(RxWiki News) I want to say one word to you. Just one word: PLASTICS. In the late 60's, this famous buzzword was all about investment riches. Now, the formerly harmless little word has bad boy legs: PLASTICS.
A recent study indicates that prenatal exposure by Mom to Bisphenol A (BPA) can cause wheezing in her child. BPA, found most commonly in plastic products, including water bottles and food containers, has been part of our society since at least the late 1960's.
"When pregnant, avoid using plastic water bottles and food containers."
Study lead Adam Spanier, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine, suggested consumers need additional information concerning the chemicals in everyday products they purchase.
More research is required to determine if changes should be made in public policy to reduce exposure to this chemical.
Spanier's study showed higher BPA concentrations in the urine of pregnant women at 16 weeks were associated with wheezing in their babies. Concentrations of BPA at 26 weeks or later were not associated with wheezing in their children.
Spanier expounded this suggests that earlier periods during pregnancy, the fetus is more vulnerable. Spanier encourages additional research to validate these early findings.
The Study
- Studied 367 children, 99 percent of whom were born to mothers who had detectable BPA levels in their urine during pregnancy
- Parents reported any incidents of wheezing on a twice-yearly basis for three years
- Six months, the odds of wheezing are twice as high for children with mothers who had higher BPA than those who had mothers with lower BPA levels
- Effects may have diminished as the children aged
