Mixtures of chemicals and pregnancy

A new study shows that we need to look at the total chemical load rather than just specific offenders. When looked at in this way, pregnant women are getting way too much exposure to problematic substances.

By linking human population studies with experiments in cell and animal models, researchers have provided evidence that complex mixtures of endocrine disrupting chemicals impact children's brain development and language acquisition. With their novel approach, the scientists show that up to 54 per cent of pregnant women were exposed to experimentally defined levels of concern. While current risk assessment tackles chemicals one at a time, these findings show the need to take mixtures into account for future risk assessment approaches.