Green Eggs & Moms » Blog Archive Pregnant? Study Finds Negative Effects of BPA on Unborn Babies
From the archive. This post was first published on the original Green Eggs and Moms blog and is kept here as it was.
For parents who rummage through books, e-books and countless online articles for tips on raising children, here’s something interesting for you. You may be doing your best to bring up happy and well-balanced children, but a number of common products or items you use everyday may be sabotaging your efforts. How? By causing your children to develop behavioral and emotional problems.
The Culprit: BPA
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical found in many products today. According to Wikipedia, it is used in making polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. If you don’t know what those are, don’t fret. All you have to know is that BPA can be found in:
- canned food and drinks, including baby formula
- plastic food containers
- plastic bottles
- metal water bottles
- dental fillings
- thermal receipts (yes, receipts are not only harmful to your wallet but to your health as well)
- baby bottles
How it affects children
A recent study published in Pediatrics found that pre-natal exposure to BPA can cause:…more anxious and depressed behavior in children, as well as poorer emotional control and inhibition.
As for BPA exposure after birth, the study found no evidence of the chemical affecting children’s behavior. But this doesn’t mean it’s okay to use products with BPA. According to an article Larry West wrote in About.com, scientists have associated the chemical with heart disease, diabetes, cancer and liver problems.
In addition, BPA affects girls more than boys because it contains properties that mimic estrogen.
Conclusion
If you are pregnant or know someone who is, stay away from products with BPA. There are safer alternatives available in the market today which do not use the harmful chemical. A quick Google search should lead you to such products.
Also, consider buying fresh food and using glass food containers, but do not stay away from the dentist! Remember that you can’t completely live a BPA-free life just yet. The next best thing is to reduce your exposure to BPA as much as possible. This way, you provide a safer environment for your unborn baby.
Sources:ModernMedicine.com, BPA exposure may lead to behavioral, emotional problems in 3 year olds, especially girls
Pediatrics.aappublications.org, Impact of Early-Life Bisphenol A Exposure on Behavior and Executive Function in Children
Environment.about.com, What are the Potential Health Effects of Bisphenol A
Photo:
Creative Commons form cscott2006
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