Pregnancy and Phthalates: What You Need to Know
We talk a lot here about various foods and substances that you want to put in your body for fertility and during pregnancy, but we are switching gears a bit in this blog post and focusing on one particular type of substance to avoid exposing yourself to before and during pregnancy: phthalates.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals that are in pretty much everything these days, yet have been shown to have harmful effects on humans, including fetuses. If you are planning a pregnancy or currently pregnant, this blog post contains important information for you to consider. We will first take a look at what exactly phthalates are and how we get exposed to them. Then we will dive into the risk they pose to both us and our babies. Finally, I’ll offer some tips and advice for avoiding and reducing phthalate exposure.
Keep in mind that phthalates are just one group of potentially toxic chemicals that we are regularly exposed to and that may impact not only us but our babies as well.
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What are Phthalates?
Phthalates (pronounced tha-laytes) are a group of chemicals added to plastics for various reasons, including to make them more durable, softer, and flexible. They are also used for other reasons, for example in cosmetic and personal care products to help hold fragrance and colour, and to increase absorption.
The good news about phthalates is that they are non-persistent, which means that they don’t stay in our bodies for long; they typically get flushed out in the urine within a few hours.
The bad news is that they are extremely prevalent: they are everywhere. Because they are included in such a wide variety of products, we are constantly exposed to them. And according to the CDC, 96-98% of people in the US have phthalates in their bodies. Other studies put this number at 100% of people! The other downside to consider is that although our bodies can flush phthalates out pretty quickly, the constant exposure to them means that we are continually requiring our detoxifying systems to eliminate them, putting a lot of pressure on our kidneys, liver, and other organs, which risk becoming overburdened and eventually ceasing to function properly.
“Phthalates are silent invisible chemicals that invade our body without permission all the time”
How Do We Get Exposed to Phthalates?
Phthalates are used is so many different products, and there are no regulations that require manufacturers to indicate that their products contain phthalates. As a result, we are exposed to phthalates from so many different sources without even knowing about it.
Some common sources of phthalate exposure include:
Plastics
Also known as plasticizers, phthalates are a key ingredient in pretty much all plastic products, particularly those that are soft and flexible. Take a second to look around you and consider how much plastic you see; it’s no wonder we are constantly exposed to phthalates! The problem is made even worse by the fact that phthalates are not chemically bound to the plastic, so they leach out very easily, particularly when exposed to warmth or heat. This makes things like shower curtains and plastic food storage containers (especially when used with hot food or put in the microwave) particularly concerning.
Food
A very large amount of the food we eat has been exposed to phthalates, which we then ingest along with that food. Think about all the plastic packaging surrounding our food, from those plastic bags inside the cereal and cracker boxes to the plastic wrap covering meat and fish and those plastic baggies we pack our fresh produce into.
But in addition to these obvious and direct sources of phthalates, our food is also indirectly exposed: through pesticide use, storage and transportation, and processing. Take milk for example: milk from cows that are milked with plastic equipment will be exposed to phthalates which are then passed on to the consumer.
Beauty and Personal Care Products
As mentioned earlier, one of the uses of phthalates is to hold fragrance and colour and increase absorption in beauty and personal care products. This means that- in general- products that have a scent, colour, and/or are meant to be absorbed into your skin likely contain phthalates. This includes products such as body lotion, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, and nail polish. But it also includes all those household products that have a scent, from laundry detergent and dryer sheets, to dish soap and cat litter.
Water
Because phthalates are so ubiquitous, it is no surprise that they have made their way into our water. And not just into our tap water, but into groundwater as well, which means that they are in the water used to grow our food, in the lakes and rivers we swim in, and in the water we use to wash our clothes and our bodies. And if you typically drink your water from a plastic water bottle, you’re likely getting a double shot of phthalates in that water.
Air
As we’ve already discussed, phthalates are not chemically bound to the plastic they are used in. As a result, when they leave the plastic, they can easily contaminate the dust and air around us. This is not just about plastic containers and fragrances though: many common household products, from vinyl flooring to plastic shower curtains, contain phthalates which can build up in the air. To make matters worse, studies have linked phthalate concentration to indoor air pollution, so that exposure to indoor air pollution (e.g. from cigarette smoking or nearby traffic) can increase phthalate concentration in the air.
How Phthalates Affect Us
Phthalates are a concerning chemical because they are a known endocrine disruptor, which means that they mess with our endocrine system which is responsible for regulating our hormones, and therefore have the potential to impact our hormone levels.
Sadly and shockingly given their prevalence, long-term effects of phthalate exposure have not been thoroughly studied. However, the studies that have been done have shown some pretty concerning impacts. These include impacts on male sperm count and fertility, impacts on the female reproductive system and fertility, as well as impacts on fetal development.
Phthalate Exposure and Male Fertility
While a direct link between phthalate exposure and male fertility has not yet been studied in-depth, animal studies have shown that there is a direct link between the two. There is also an indirect link that can reasonably be drawn. Studies have shown that male fetuses exposed to phthalates in utero are at risk of genital defects (more on this in a minute), including those that have been directly linked to lower sperm count. So phthalate exposure in utero = risk of genital defects = potential for low sperm count = possible fertility issues.
Phthalate Exposure and Female Reproduction and Fertility
Again, because the effects on phthalate exposure have not been studied in-depth, we can’t say for certainty that there is a link between phthalates and female fertility and reproductive system issues. However, from the initial research that has been done, we can safely say that potential links have been drawn between phthalate exposure and PCOS and endometriosis, and therefore potentially fertility as well.
Phthalate Exposure Before and During Pregnancy: Why You Should Be Concerned
If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, there is good reason to be concerned about phthalate exposure: phthalates enter the bloodstream after exposure. This means that they have the potential to cross the placenta and therefore affect your baby.
While studies on this are still not widespread and a direct link has not been confirmed, based on animal studies plus what we do know so far from initial studies, a strong enough link between phthalate exposure and abnormal fetal development has been established to give the result a name: Phthalate Syndrome.
I won’t pretend to be an expert on Phthalate Syndrome, but in essence, it can be described as a cluster of defects in males that develop in the fetal stage when the mother is exposed to phthalates. These defects include smaller genitals, other male genital defects such as undescended testicles and hypospadias (a condition where the urethra opening is at the side of the penis rather than the tip), and reduced anal-genital distance (aka shorter taint). This last defect in particular has been linked to male infertility, with studies demonstrating a link between altered anal-genital distance and reduced sperm count and infertility.
Unfortunately, we don’t know all that much about how phthalate exposure impacts female fetuses. But because we do know that there may be a link between phthalates and adult female reproductive system and fertility issues, it is reasonable to worry about a risk to female fetuses in these areas as well.
How to Reduce and Avoid Phthalate Exposure
Regardless of the stage you’re in on your pregnancy journey (or even if you’re not currently on a pregnancy journey), avoiding or at least reducing your exposure to phthalates is a good idea. For pregnancy in particular, the greatest risk to your baby is in the first trimester when most genital and reproductive tract development takes place, so I would recommend avoiding phthalates as much as possible during this period.
Here are my top tips for avoiding or reducing phthalate exposure:
Prioritize organic, unprocessed, unpackaged fresh food
Store food without plastic
Use glass, metal, or ceramic containers instead, or wrap food in cloth or paper
Avoid plastic food containers and plastic water bottles
If you choose to use them, avoid putting hot food or hot liquid in them or using them in the microwave
Avoid scented products
This goes not just for beauty products, but also things like dryer sheets, air fresheners, laundry detergent, and cleaning products
Check your beauty and personal care products carefully
Avoid anything with fragrance and colour, as well as products that contain these most commonly-used phthalate compounds:
DEP (diethyl phthalate)
DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate)
BBP (butyl benzyl phthalate)
DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate)
DiDP (di-isodecyl phthalate)
DiNP (di-isononyll phthalate)
DnHP (di-n- hexyl phthalate)
DnOP (di-n-octyl phthalate)
Replace those phthalate-containing beauty and personal care products with more natural versions.
Use resources such as the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database or app, or the Think Dirty app to find natural products that don’t contain phthalates
Drink clean water
Drink filtered water- consider investing in a good quality water filter system such as the Berkey. Avoid bottled water, especially if it comes in a plastic bottle
Reduce phthalates in the air you breathe
Wipe surfaces regularly to reduce dust accumulation. Avoid places where indoor pollution is an issue (e.g. where someone is smoking inside). Vacuum regularly and use a HEPA filter
Finally, keep in mind that phthalates are not the only chemicals of concern in plastics (which also often contain BPA and other phenols as well as parabens), giving all the more reason to avoid plastics when you can.