Chemicals in frequent use linked to defects in boys[/size]
By Seth Borenstein in Washington
May 28, 2005 - Sydney Morning Herald

Baby boys are far more likely to have smaller, less developed genitals if their mothers had high levels of chemicals commonly found in cosmetics, detergents, medicines and plastics, a study released yesterday has found.

The higher the levels of the chemical compound phthalates in the mothers during the final months of pregnancy, the less masculine their boys were when examined by pediatricians, said the study's lead author, Shanna Swan, a professor of reproductive epidemiology at the University of Rochester, New York.

The study examined 85 infant boys and used urine samples taken from their mothers during the last few months of pregnancy.

"We were able to show, even with a relatively small sample, that phthalate-exposed boys have an increased likelihood of a cluster of genital changes," Dr Swan said yesterday.

The infant sons of the high phthalate-level mothers had more instances of smaller penises and scrotums, and testicles that failed to descend properly, according to the peer review study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Boys of highly exposed mothers were four to 10 times more likely to have reduced genital development.

The most glaring difference between exposed boys was in the ano-genital distance, the measurement from the genitals to the anus. In males it is twice the size of females, and smaller distances have been shown in animal studies to indicate reduced testosterone levels.

Nine of the 10 boys exposed to the highest mix of different phthalates had short ano-genital distances. Only one of the 11 boys with the least phthalate exposure had a short measurement, Dr Swan said.

Scientists are concerned that these boys might go into puberty late, be infertile and contract testicular cancer because that's what rats with similar reduced ano-genital distances showed, said Earl Gray, a senior research biologist at the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The mothers in the federally funded study showed similar levels in the range and amounts of the chemicals as the average American.

"If I were pregnant, I would try to keep my phthalate levels low," said study co-author Christine Ternand, a professor at the University of Minnesota.

"How I would do that would be a tricky thing."

[Note from Raw-Pleasure: "Just reduce how much preprepared chemical items you buy such as prepackaged food and cosmetics! Combined with replacing plastic food storage containers will cut down your exposure to phthalates by about 70%!]

Phthalates are used as plasticisers, solvents, coatings and perfume fixatives. They are found in hundreds of products, including food packaging, coatings on time-released medicines, soap, shampoo, nail polish, hair sprays, detergents, and vinyl floor coverings.

Knight Ridder

Yes, we would all do better to avoid xenoestrogens!    

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Confession is good for the soul,right? My bb was born with a mild genital abnormality. Before I became pregnant I was only free of chronic hives for three months. I had the hives for a year. I don't know why I got them. I eventually got rid of them myself through detoxing.

anyhow, I had to take a little pill (antihistamine) every 6 hours or I couldn't breathe. The inside of my throat would swell and my whole body looked like red bubble wrap. My pregnancy wasn't planned as I would have wanted a bigger recovery time. I was even allergic to fruit and veg.

I hate to think of what all those chemicals (antihistamines) did to him. I know I am blessed that he is breathing on his own and otherwise healthy. His kidneys scans turned out fine. He will need an operation to maintain function.

So this study is right in regards to me and my bb. It is only mild, like I say, and considering how sick I was it could have been a lot worse.

It makes me love him so much more.

Oh Mae, thank you for sharing, and yes, confession is very good for the soul!!

I believe that I was shown what to do with it because as soon as I got rid of it my youngest daughter got it. Within a week, she no longer had chronic hives. I lived through a year of it to help her. If I hadn't got it first, she would have had it for a very long time before I knew what to do.

The research upon his abnormality says it's caused mostly by chemicals in the father's/mother's system. But, I refuse to start his life feeling guilty. I feel blessed to know what could've happened and didn't. Yes, he does need an operation, but it's as an outpatient and this abnormality can be so bad that doctors don't know whether the baby is a boy or a girl, so we are very lucky that it is so mild and barely noticeable.
I have friends whose babies have died at birth. I have friends whose babies are premmie. I remember wanting for a baby boy with his daddy's eyes. And that's exactly what I got. I don't care if he has a little bit different about him.

I have been given a gift.