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Pregnant Woman Exposed to 45 Common Chemicals, Study Finds
- June 17, 2026
- HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter
Pregnant women are exposed to dozens of common chemicals linked to early delivery and low birth weight, according to a new study.
Researchers tested urine samples from more than 5,000 women who gave birth between 2000 and 2021, and compared the findings with pregnancy outcomes.
They screened for 113 chemicals commonly found in food, water, air pollution, personal care products, fragrances and other household items.
On average, the tests detected 45 chemicals in each sample, with as many as 64 found in some participants.
Among them were phthalates used to make plastics more flexible, as well as some newer plasticizers.
Some of these compounds were consistently associated with earlier delivery and lower birth weight, according to the results.
"We found that several newer chemicals used to replace toxic ones are also harmful," said senior researcher Tracey Woodruff, a professor of epidemiology and population health at Stanford University School of Medicine and Woods Institute for the Environment.
The study also linked lower birth weight to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which are formed during the burning of coal, oil, gas and wood.
The study’s lead author said avoiding these chemicals can be difficult because they are found in so many everyday products.
"We have limited control over exposures," said first author Jessie Buckley, a professor of epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. "[And] even small changes in birth weight or gestational age can have significant impacts on children’s health."
The researchers are calling on governments and companies to do more to reduce harmful chemicals in everyday products and ensure new ones are safe.
The findings were published today in JAMA Network Open.
More information
The Environmental Protection Agency has more on phthalates.
SOURCE: HealthDay TV, June 17, 2026
