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14/10/2013

Chemicals 'Can Double Miscarriage Risk'

New research has warned that a chemical found in dozens of household items could double a woman's risk of miscarriage.

The findings, which have been revealed by Stanford University and presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's annual conference in Boston, suggested that large levels of contact with the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) could dramatically increase the likelihood of miscarriage.

The study found pregnant women with the highest levels of BPA in their blood were 80% more likely to miscarry. The warning also extended to men whose partners are trying to conceive, after similar compounds contained in the same products were found to potentially damage male fertility by 20%.

As a result, pregnant women have been warned to avoid canned foods, microwaved food and plastic water bottles left out in the sun.

Those behind the study did admit it would be impossible to avoid all contact with the chemical – which is used in plastic packaging, tinned products and cash register receipts. However, it advised women to limit their impact of exposure to the substance, for example, by avoiding cooking or warming foods in plastic containers.

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Lead author Dr Ruth Lathi, reproductive endocrinologist at Stanford University said: "This is important because miscarriage is a very common occurrence and human exposure to BPA is near-ubiquitous.

"Until further studies are performed, women with unexplained miscarriages should avoid BPA exposure in an effort to remove one potential risk factor.

"There are some simple things that people can do, but it's impossible to avoid it completely.

"Avoid anything that involves cooking or warming food in plastic as the chemicals leak out of plastic materials at a higher rate at higher temperatures.

"Avoid canned food, avoid cooking or heating plastic and also avoid touching things that have high BPA resin – something as simple as a cash register receipt which is coded with resin that has BPA in it."

It remains unclear why BPA appears to have such a large impact on miscarriage rates, and researchers said further studies were urgently needed.

Dr Linda Giudice, President of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, explained: "These chemicals are a cause of concern to all of us.

"We don't know necessarily the exact biochemical mechanism [cause] but other studies point to the need to be aware of the use of these chemicals."

The Miscarriage Association has said the study was too small to draw definite conclusions, and that more research is needed.

(JP/CD)

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"New research has warned that a chemical found in dozens of household items could double a woman's risk of miscarriage."