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Research has revealed that babies born to mothers who are exposed to chemicals present in lotions and shampoos during pregnancy may be at risk of developing diseases like asthma.
Researchers at Kumamoto University analyzed data from more than 3,500 mother-child pairs to examine the link between exposure to certain everyday chemicals during pregnancy and the development of asthma in children.
The findings, published in the journal 'Environmental Pollution', showed that exposure to high levels of butylparaben, a chemical commonly used in personal care products such as lotions and shampoos, during early pregnancy increased the risk of asthma in children by 1.54 times.
- 4-Nonylphenol Chemical Harmful-
The research found that boys born to mothers exposed to a chemical called 4-nonylphenol were 2.09 times more likely to develop asthma, although no such link was seen in girls.
"These results emphasize the need for careful evaluation of chemical exposure during pregnancy," said Dr. Shohei Kuraoka of Kumamoto University. "Understanding these risks helps us develop better guidelines to protect maternal and child health," Kuraoka said.
- 24 types of phenols were measured-
The team of researchers measured 24 types of phenols in urine samples collected from pregnant women. After this, the researchers monitored the health of the children till the age of four. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how daily use of chemicals can contribute to respiratory and allergic conditions in children.
Nonylphenols are known to disrupt the endocrine system. Previous studies have shown that exposure to them has recently been linked to a rise in diseases such as asthma. However, the researchers acknowledge limitations such as not directly measuring phenol levels in children. They have stressed the need for future studies to find out more about this.
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