The effect of flame retardants in pregnancy reduces the level of intelligence in a future child
Last reviewed: 17.10.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Today, all the controversy about the toxicity of substances used to prevent the burning of household items, only gaining momentum. One of the latest studies of scientists has shown that the contact of a woman in the early stages of pregnancy with such substances (fire retardants) leads to a child's hyperactivity and decreased intelligence.
Fire retardants are special mixtures of substances (or substances) that help prevent the ignition of organic materials (tissue, wood). The protective effect is created due to the low melting points of such substances and the formation of a film that blocks the flow of oxygen to the material, and also the fire retardants decompose on heating and release inert gases (vapors) that do not ignite the material. Ammonium phosphates, ammonium sulfate, boric acid, boron are widely used, ammonium chloride and zinc chloride are used less often.
As a recent study of specialists in this field showed, the effect of flame retardants on a pregnant woman leads to an increased content of certain chemicals in the fetal brain. Especially dangerous is the effect of fire retardants in the early stages of pregnancy, when the main development of the child's brain takes place. Scientists have determined that the level of intelligence in these children will be reduced by 4.5 points.
Scientists have led to research the lack of knowledge about chemical compounds that have been widely used in the consumer market. The research project was launched ten years ago, during which scientists analyzed the urine and blood of more than 300 women at the sixteenth week of pregnancy. During the project, scientists monitored the development of children before reaching the age of five.
As it turned out, polybromobiphenyl ethers were the greatest danger for the development of the child, which are used as fireproof materials in the manufacture of furniture, car seats, carpets. As the scientists note, in the United States, polybromodiphenyl ethers occupy one of the highest levels of human exposure, and in effect they are comparable to lead. The decomposition of such substances takes decades. Most household products manufactured in the last three decades remain in homes and offices, potentially posing a health threat. However, replacing fire retardants in industry is no less dangerous, since replacing old substances with new ones without preliminary research can lead to even more undesirable consequences.
More recently, the problem of replacing certain chemicals with others is becoming more and more necessary to make the industry safer.
Today fire retardants help to save the lives of many families and increase the level of fire safety in the house, they note in the fire-protection alliance. But flame retardants are chemical substances and are also subject to study in the environmental protection community not only in the United States, but throughout the world.