"10% of Preterm Mothers Affected"... US Researchers Warn About Everyday Plastics

"Plastic Additive 'Phthalate' Risk"
"Affects 10% of All Preterm Mothers in the US"

A study has found that mothers who frequently come into contact with plastic products have a higher risk of preterm birth. The photo is not directly related. [Image source=Pixabay]

American researchers have released findings that mothers frequently exposed to plastic products in daily life have a higher likelihood of preterm birth. The research team announced that about 10% of all preterm births in the United States were influenced by plastic products, which is expected to intensify the controversy over the harmful effects of plastics.

On the 6th (local time), according to CNN, a research team from New York University analyzed the concentration of phthalates in the urine of over 5,000 pregnant women in the U.S. to study the impact of phthalates on preterm birth. Phthalates are chemical additives used to soften vinyl or plastic products and are widely used in packaging materials, tablecloths, floor tiles, plastic toys, hairspray, soap, perfume, blood storage bags, and medical tubing.

The analysis showed that the top 10% of mothers with the highest phthalate concentrations in their urine had more than a 50% higher chance of giving birth before 37 weeks compared to the bottom 10%. The research team explained, "This means that nationwide in the U.S., about 56,600 preterm births in 2018, which is roughly 10% of all births, were associated with phthalate exposure."

Phthalates have been linked to obesity, heart disease, certain cancers, and infertility, and are known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The reason mothers heavily exposed to phthalates face a higher risk of preterm birth is also presumed to be due to this endocrine disruption.

The research team warned, "Babies born prematurely or with low birth weight often face health problems later in life," adding, "The lifetime medical and social costs for the approximately 56,000 preterm infants born in 2018 could range from $1.6 billion (about 2.1193 trillion KRW) to as much as $8.1 billion (about 10.7292 trillion KRW)."

Leonardo Trasande, a professor at NYU Langone Health and the lead author of the study, stated, "Phthalates can trigger early labor and preterm birth," and analyzed, "Considering the widespread use of phthalates worldwide, 5-10% of preterm birth cases in other countries may also be related to phthalates."

He emphasized, "More than three-quarters of phthalate exposure likely comes from plastics," and called for "an international treaty to reduce plastic production." He also pointed out, "Some manufacturers are replacing the commonly used di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) with other phthalates after recognizing its hazards, but the problem is that the substitute chemicals may be more harmful than DEHP."

This research paper was published in the international academic journal Lancet Planetary Health.

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