Common Chemicals Linked to Infertility
February 17, 2009
Your cookware and cleaning supplies could make it harder for you to have a baby.
Researchers have found that chemicals called perfluorinated compounds (PFCs)
Common Chemicals Linked to Infertility
February 17, 2009
Your cookware and cleaning supplies could make it harder for you to have a baby.
Researchers have found that chemicals called perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) might be linked to delays in getting pregnant. PFCs are everywhere -- in non-stick cookware, shampoos, floor wax, food wrapping, carpet treatments and other cleaning products. PFCs are also present in air and water in the form of industrial waste from chemical plants.
The new study looked at more than 1,200 women when they were six to 12 weeks pregnant. If they reported that it took them longer than 12 months to get pregnant or if they used drugs designed to increase their chances of conceiving, they were considered to have infertility -- this is a generally accepted definition of infertility by experts in the field.
One kind of PFC, called PFOS, increased the odds of infertility anywhere from 70 to 134 percent. Another PFC called PFOA was linked to a 60 to 154 percent increase in the chance of infertility.