The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS,
a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA
The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS,
a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA
|
The AMA wants to make birth centers illegal, along with homebirths,
even though
Read more about the ACOG 2008 Press Release from The Big Push for Midwives and Childbirth Connections You can also educate yourself week-by-week in your pregnancy with theLamaze Weekly Pregnancy Newsletter for Parents |
Unborn
babies carry pollutants, study finds 7/14/05 - WASHINGTON (Reuters)
- Unborn U.S. babies are soaking in a stew of chemicals, including mercury,
gasoline byproducts and pesticides, according to a report released on Thursday.
CARE Northwest gives free telephone advice to pregnant and breastfeeding
women about the possible effects of drug and chemical exposure. Call Monday
through Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.: 888-616-8484.
The
Healthy Baby Nursery - It is heartbreaking for me to see well-meaning
and excited new parents decorating their new baby's nursery by painting
it, installing new carpeting, and buying a crib with a brand-new foam or
synthetic mattress. I did some of these things when I was pregnant; I knew
better, but I wanted to be "normal" (and not chemically sensitive) and
provide standard things for my baby like everybody else did.
Environmental Toxins Associated With Recurrent Pregnancy Loss [Medscape registration is free]
See also: Pollution and Chemical Teratogens
Many Toxins and Suspected
Toxins Are Commonly Found in Face, Body, and Hair Products
Breast is
Best, but it Could Be Better: What is in Breast Milk That Should Not Be?
[Medscape registration is free] This article provides many helpful
tips about avoiding toxic chemicals that could be passed to your baby during
pregnancy as well as postpartum through breastmilk.
In Harm's Way - Toxic Threats
to Child Development - the toxins in household products may cause serious
developmental disabilities through prenatal exposure - from the Greater
Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility.
Pregnancy and
Birth Issues section from Avoidance
of Toxic and Unhealthy Exposures from Holistic
Healing Web Page. This includes a section on Dental
Materials / Procedures.
Can
I have dental work done while pregnant?
Dental
anesthesia in early pregnancy? Dangerous?
The March of Dimes wants all parents to know the joy of having a healthy baby. Oddly, though, they seem to be lukewarm about breastfeeding support, which would prevent 20% of infant deaths. In 2005, they allowed a formula manufacturer to be one of the major sponsors of their WalkAmerica.
This endorsement sends the wrong message to parents as well as to health
care professionals. How appalling!
Preventing
Congenital Toxoplasmosis - from the CDC
Risk
of Congenital Toxoplasmosis Better Assessed by New Tests - January
29, 2001 [Medscape registration is free.]
Toxoplasmosis
Infection Does Not Appear to Retard Fetal Growth - [Feb, 2005]
[Medscape registration is free.]
CDC recommendations
for 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of folic acid daily for all women of
child-bearing age to prevent neural tube defects.
Vitamin C and lots of water helps to flush toxins out of the body.
Dental
X-Rays Linked to Low Birth-Weight Babies - 4/27/04 - The association
could be related to exposing the mothers' thyroid, pituitary or hypothalamus
glands to radiation, even early in the pregnancy.
Best of the Net - Infections
During Pregnancy from perinatology.com
Infections
of the Fetus and Newborn Infant - (Congenital and Perinatal infections)
Congenital
Infections of the Newborn
Infectious
Diseases in Pregnancy - from motherisk.org
Infectious
pregnancy complications from the Geneva Foundation for Medical Education
and Research
Passive
immunization during pregnancy for congenital cytomegalovirus infection.
Nigro G, Adler SP, La Torre R, Best AM; Congenital Cytomegalovirus
Collaborating Group.
N Engl J Med. 2005 Sep 29;353(13):1350-62.
CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of pregnant women with CMV-specific hyperimmune globulin is safe, and the findings of this nonrandomized study suggest that it may be effective in the treatment and prevention of congenital CMV infection. A controlled trial of this agent may now be appropriate. Copyright 2005 Massachusetts Medical Society.
Update on TORCH
Infections in the Newborn Infant [06/16/2004] - [Medscape registration
is free]
Hand,
Foot, & Mouth Disease - Viruses from the group called enteroviruses
cause HFMD. The most common cause is coxsackievirus A16; sometimes, HFMD
is caused by enterovirus 71 or other enteroviruses. The enterovirus group
includes polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses and other enteroviruses.
Fifths Disease from Valley Women's Clinic, PLLC
Parvovirus B19 Infections from the AAFP
I would just draw her Parvo B19 IgG/M titers and then you will know
if ANY ‘risk’ even exists; if immune, end of conversation, if neg/neg,
I would repeat draw in ~ 4wks even if she never develops any sx (cause
I live in C(Y)A).
Books
on Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Pharmacokinetics
and Drug Metabolism - from motherisk.org
- Understanding how drugs move through the body and cross the placenta
is important in understanding their effects on the pregnancy or fetus.
In this section we include studies and review articles that investigate
the mechanisms by which drugs transfer across the human placenta and how
they affect the fetus.
Drugs in Pregnancy
- from motherisk.org
Acid
Blockers for Mom During Pregnancy Increase Baby's Risk of Asthma: Presented
at AAAAI
March 24, 2008 -- Taking acid-blocking medications for heartburn associated
with pregnancy increases the baby's risk of developing asthma by more than
50%.
Maternal
Progestin Intake and Risk of Hypospadias
Suzan L. Carmichael, PhD; Gary M. Shaw, DrPH; Cecile Laurent, MS; Mary
S. Croughan, PhD; Richard S. Olney, MD; Edward J. Lammer, MD; for the National
Birth Defects Prevention Study
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2005;159:957-962.
Conclusion This study found that pregnancy-related intake of progestins
was associated with increased hypospadias
risk.
I've heard that this study is flawed in that it lumps together synthetic
progestins (which are molecules tweaked from testosterone and nor-testosterone)
and bio-identical progesterone(which has a different chemical composition
and different biological effects). If you give a pregnant women something
that displaces testosterone off its receptors, wouldn't you expect it to
have an effect on an organism (the male fetus) that relies on having a
normal level of testosterone to develop properly?
I have noticed many questions related to drug effects on early development. In that vein, I thought you might be interested in the following which is taken from Blackburn and Loper, 1992, in Maternal. Retal, and Neonatal Physiology.
"The preembryonic period stage (up to 14 days after conception) is a time of little morphologic differentiation. During the first part of this period, the zygote is protected by the zona pellucida. Exposure to teratogens during this period usually has an all-or-nothing effect. Either the damage is so severe that the zygote is aborted or there are no apparent effects. Teratogens or environmental disturbances may interfere with implantation of the blastocyst or cause death and early abortion. However, most congenital anomalies do not arise during this period....
The period of organogenesis (15 to 60 days after conception)( is a period of extreme sensitivity to teratogens and the period when most congenital malformations develop. Insults early in this period (15 to 30 days) are more like to result in death if the embryo is damaged....
Hopefully for those of you with questions about exposures very close
to the time of conception, hopefully this info will help lay those concerns
to rest.
According to the FDA, NO drug, either prescription or over the counter,
has ever been proven safe for an unborn baby.
Yes, and, . . .
if you read the fine print, you see that it's because no drug can be guaranteed to be 100 percent safe. The same is true of all foods and every other kind of environmental exposure. (It's kind of like trying to prove that Big Foot doesn't exist. You'd have to test every single baby, including the future ones, which is clearly impossible. If I had the energy, I'd rewrite the above so it doesn't sound as if the FDA is testing every single baby to see if they're a Big Foot.)
The best they can do is look for evidence that harm can be demonstrated, and if they find none, then they can only presume (not guarantee) that the substance is safe.
According to Will It Hurt the Baby?", birth defects can only occur during weeks 4 to 12 of pregnancy. Earlier exposures may cause miscarriage, and later exposures may cause slow or altered growth, such as mental retardation that can occur from regular alcohol abuse in later months.
I know there are some caregivers who flat out recommend that pregnant women avoid all tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, non-organic vegetables, and industrial or household chemicals.
I may be in the minority here, but I don't see it as my place as a healthcare provider to provide misleading, partial truths to my clients or consumers in general. I figure that it's my place to tell them the facts related to their situation, and let them make the choices.
That "I know better than they do" attitude is what leads to cesareans for just about any excuse under the sun.
We are a teratogen information service that provides information on exposures to medications, chemicals, drugs/alcohol/cigarettes, illnesses, etc. during pregnancy or lactation. We have been a toll free service for those health care practitioners and patients in the Pacific Northwest, but are now changing our service. We are going to have a 900 number for anyone to call, regardless of geographic location. In addition, for health care providers that feel they will be calling more frequently, we will have subscriptions available to our service on an annual basis.
Our new phone number is 1-900-616-8484. This is a toll call, billed at $3.00 for the first minute, and $2.00 for each additional minute. We want to answer questions efficiently and completely, so will need pertinent information, but we will not try to keep people on the phone longer than necessary. Anyone can call this number.
For subscribers, we will provide a toll free number and they will have unlimited access. This will include written materials and evaluations, when applicable. Subscription fees range from $100 to $300 per year depending on the situation. For more information feel free to email me.
If you or your patients have questions, feel free to call! We answer
calls whenever we are here, and not on another line. You will not get charged
until we answer the phone. Usually we can be reached 9:00am - 4:30pm Pacific
time, Monday through Friday. In September our hours will probably be until
later in the evening.
March of Dimes (national HQ) offers this SAME service, FOR FREE. MOD
is also a member of OTIS, Organization of Teratogen Information Services,
and thinks this information should be available to all consumers at NO
CHARGE. They will soon have an 800 number; meanwhile, they can be reached
at March of Dimes Resource Center, (914) 997-4750. Your call will be returned
within 24 hours.
Inadvertent
Fetal Exposure to Antibiotics During Unplanned Pregnancies by Jill
Taylor [Medscape registration is free] - Care should be taken when treating
women of child-bearing age for urinary tract infection.
Drugs given during pregnancy may not be safe - [2004-09-17 Reuters Health]
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - More than a third of pregnant women are
prescribed medications for which there is no evidence that they're safe
to use during pregnancy, investigators report.
Common
drugs linked to sex drive - Using anti-inflammatories during pregnancy
may affect fetus' adult conduct. Known as COX-2 inhibitors,
this class of anti-inflammatories includes aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen
and indomethacin. [A
related article from Reuters]
In Utero Exposure to Antibiotics May Increase Risk of Allergic Disease [Medscape registration is free]
"Women who take antibiotics during pregnancy may increase their child's risk of allergic diseases such as asthma, hay fever, or eczema" and "This effect did not appear to depend on the type of antibiotic or the trimester the antibiotics were prescribed in."
The
importance of prenatal exposures on the development of allergic disease:
a birth cohort study using the West Midlands General Practice Database.
McKeever TM, Lewis SA, Smith C, Hubbard R.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002 Sep 15;166(6):827-32
Claim
That Dextromethorphan Causes Birth Defects Not Supported in Humans
[Medscape registration is free.
ANECDOTAL ONLY --- I've had experience with only two babies with diagnosed heart defects. This one and a hypoplastic Right side who died about 18 hours. Both of these moms were DAILY users of nosedrop decongestants; they both described themselves as being "hooked" on them for years.
Now; anecdotally only; these two cases only; I have never had heavy
decongestant users other than these two, never had HD either -- and I'm
so tempted to wonder if there is a connection between use of OTC decongestants
and HD........
More anecdotal: My one stillbirth baby had a heart defect incompatible
with life and the Mom was a heavy decongestant (OTC) user. I was an apprentice
and don't recall the exact type of HD, but just remember those words "incompatible
with life". She was also Down's, but the autopsy said not the kind that
usually die. I guess my memory is too fuzzy about this, and obviously the
HD could have been totally due to something else. But I always wondered.
See also: Herbs for Anxiety,
General
Pregnancy Anxiety, Depression During
Pregnancy and Visualization and Self-Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy/Hypnobirthing
Antidepressants reach fetus through amniotic fluid
Antidepressants
in amniotic fluid: another route of fetal exposure.
Loughhead AM, Fisher AD, Newport DJ, Ritchie JC, Owens MJ, DeVane CL,
Stowe ZN.
Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Jan;163(1):145-7.
CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of antidepressant concentrations in amniotic
fluid is similar to recent data for placental passage. Although the significance
of amniotic fluid exposure remains to be determined, these results demonstrate
that maternally administered antidepressants are accessible to the fetus
in a manner not previously appreciated.
Infants
Born to Women Taking Antidepressants at Increased Risk of Withdrawal Symptoms
for First Weeks of Life, Study Says [May 18, 2005]
Neonatal
signs after late in utero exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors: literature
review and implications for clinical applications.
Moses-Kolko EL, Bogen D, Perel J, Bregar A, Uhl K, Levin B, Wisner
KL.
JAMA. 2005 May 18;293(19):2372-83.
CONCLUSIONS: Available evidence indicates that in utero exposure to
SRIs during the last trimester through delivery may result in a self-limited
neonatal behavioral syndrome that can be managed with supportive care.
The risks and benefits of discontinuing an SRI during pregnancy need to
be carefully weighed for each individual patient. Development and validation
of assessment methods and clinical management strategies are critical to
advancing this research. [Ed.: These are maybe not the best homebirth candidates!!!]
Antidepressants
to Come with Pregnancy Precaution - 6/9/04 - "Drug makers are adding
a notice to widely used antidepressants that babies of women who take the
drugs late in pregnancy may experience jitteriness and other withdrawal
symptoms"
Maternal
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use during pregnancy and newborn
neurobehavior.
Zeskind PS, Stephens LE.
Pediatrics. 2004 Feb;113(2):368-75.
"Results provide the first systematic evidence that women who use SSRIs
during pregnancy have healthy, full-birth-weight newborn infants who show
disruptions in a wide range of neurobehavioral outcomes. Effects on motor
activity, startles, and HRV may be mediated through the effects of SSRI
exposure on gestational age. Future research can lead to a better understanding
of the effects of SSRI use during pregnancy and an improved public health
outcome."
FDA
Advising of Risk of Birth Defects with Paxil - [12/8/05] - new studies
for Paxil (paroxetine) suggest that the drug increases the risk for birth
defects, particularly heart defects, when women take it during the first
three months of pregnancy.
Antidepressant Use by Moms-To-Be May Affect Baby - 2/2/04
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Certain antidepressants taken by mothers
during pregnancy can lead to disturbed behavior in their offspring, according
to the results of a small study. Antidepressants like Prozac or Paxil,
known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have previously
been shown not to cause birth defects, the authors explain in the medical
journal Pediatrics. However, only a few studies have looked at the potential
neurobehavioral effects of these medications on newborns. Dr. Philip Sanford
Zeskind and Laura E. Stephens from the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte,
North Carolina, examined the neurobehavior of 34 newborn infants.
Maternal
SSRI Use During Pregnancy May Disrupt Newborn Neurobehavior [Medscape
registration is free]
AAP's bulletin on Use
of Psychoactive Medication During Pregnancy and Possible Effects on the
Fetus and Newborn (RE9866)
More so than other similar antidepressants, paroxetine
(Paxil) use late in pregnancy seems to be associated with higher rates
of neonatal complications; but that does not mean women should not take
the drug. [from Medscape, 5/02 - Medscape registration is free]
Antidepressants OK for pregnant women
Counseling As Effective As Prozac for Postpartum
Depression
There is some research to show that the developing embryo relies on the electromagnetic field from the mother’s heart to orient the anatomic development of the fetus. It is thought that this may be why a human embryo cannot be grown in the laboratory past a very early developmental stage.
I strongly encourage you to do what you can easily do to reduce your personal exposure to the various forms of energy that our electronic devices create around us: turn off your WiFi and wireless phone systems when you’re sleeping, or at least keep them out of your bedroom, and keep your devices at least 2 feet away from your body when not in use. The more powerful the device, the more important that you not wear it directly on your body.
Most pregnant women tend to have an elevated body temperature, so they
generally wouldn't be using electric blankets, but if you need a little
something extra beyond a fluffy down comforter, consider one of those new
electric blankets that use fiber optics
High
EMF Risk from Personal Organizers - excellent radio show from April
3, 2007
Pregnancy
and Radiation from the Health Physics Society
Environmental consultant Cindy Sage discusses the latest research on
wireless technology's possible risks to humans and the environment.
PDA exposures from blackberry and treo units, among others, create exceptionally
high exposures when worn on or very near the body. She will discuss these
exposures, their possible health consequences, and ways to reduce exposure.
Resources: Sage Associates www.sageassociates.net; Resources on environmental
health and resources on radiation: wireless, EMR, RFR, and ionizing radiation
See also: Drinking Water, Water
Bottles and other Plastics, Personal Care Products
There's increasing evidence that the developing egg/embryo/fetus are
very sensitive to environmental contaminants.
University of Pittsburgh
Cancer Institute - Center for Environmental Oncology
The Environmental Working Group offers
a very compact shopper's guide to getting the smallest amount of pesticides
in your food at the least cost. The results are far from intuitively
obvious, so this is really useful.
Environmental Toxins
Associated With Recurrent Pregnancy Loss [Medscape registration is
free]
Body Burden
— The Pollution in Newborns - A benchmark investigation of industrial
chemicals, pollutants and pesticides in umbilical cord blood
Health & Safety Information on
Household Products from the NIH
TOXNET - Toxicology Data Network
from the National Library of Medicine
A
Silent Pandemic: Industrial Chemicals Are Impairing Brain Development Of
Children Worldwide
Teflon
and Scotchguard as major offenders.
You can read more about Environmental
causes of infertility and miscarriage
Potential Residential Exposure to Toxics Release Inventory Chemicals during Pregnancy and Childhood Brain Cancer [Medscape is free.]
Potential
residential exposure to toxics release inventory chemicals during pregnancy
and childhood brain cancer. [full
text]
Choi HS, Shim YK, Kaye WE, Ryan PB.
Environ Health Perspect. 2006 Jul;114(7):1113-8.
CONCLUSIONS: Risk of childhood brain cancers may be associated with
living near a TRI [polluting] facility; however, this is an exploratory
study and further studies are needed.
How to
Avoid the Top 10 Most Common Toxins by Dr. Mercola. Read down
the page for his "Tips to Avoid Toxins".
Prenatal
pesticide exposure damages the brain [3/16/06]
Source: Pediatrics 2006; 117: 546-56
Exposure to pesticides in the womb may leave children with high blood pressure and a reduced ability to copy geometric figures, a study of children in Ecuador suggests.
Pesticide
exposure and stunting as independent predictors of neurobehavioral deficits
in Ecuadorian school children.
Grandjean P, Harari R, Barr DB, Debes F.
Pediatrics. 2006 Mar;117(3):e546-56.
CONCLUSION: Prenatal pesticide exposure may cause lasting neurotoxic damage and add to the adverse effects of malnutrition in developing countries. The effects differ from those due to acute pesticide exposure.
Maternal
Pesticide Exposure Linked to Childhood Leukemia
In
a discussion of Having Faith, a book written about her pregnancy, Sandra
Steingraber says, "Being aware of environmental dangers to children's health
seemed part of my new responsibility as an expectant mother -- in the same
way that infant car-seat recalls and pediatric vaccination schedules were.
And yet, oddly, most popular guidebooks on pregnancy encourage mothers-to-be
not to dwell too much on environmental dangers that seem to exist outside
their individual ability to control."
Disinfection
byproducts may hinder fetal growth
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology 2006: 163: 38-47
Estimating the effects of disinfection byproducts in drinking water on birth weights among a population served by a single water utility.
The risk of having a low-birth-weight baby may be influenced by levels of disinfectant used to treat drinking water, particularly among non-Caucasians, public health experts report.
Previous research has suggested that exposure to the disinfection byproducts trihalomethanes during pregnancy might impair fetal growth but most epidemiologic studies have used relatively crude measures of exposure and did not look at racial and ethnic subgroups.
For the latest study, C. Lewis (University of California, Los Angeles, USA) and colleagues looked at a large racially diverse population that received drinking water from the same public utility in Massachusetts. Vital records data obtained for the population between 1999 and 2001 were studied, along with weekly measurements of trihalomethanes in the water system.
The researchers found that a high average total exposure to trihalomethanes, of 70 microg/l or more, during the second trimester was associated with a 50 percent increased risk of term low birth weight in singleton births. This risk was much lower in Caucasian women than in African-American, Hispanic, and Asian women combined (37 percent vs 60 percent).
"The study suggest that high levels of trihalomethanes experienced during the second trimester and pregnancy overall may affect fetal growth," concludes the research team.
Posted: 22 December 2005
Early Exposure to Combustion Gases Raises Risk of Childhood Cancers [Medscape registration is free]
Oil
combustion and childhood cancers.
Knox EG.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2005 Sep;59(9):755-60.
CONCLUSIONS: Childhood cancers are strongly determined by prenatal or
early postnatal exposures to oil based combustion gases, especially from
engine exhausts. 1,3-butadiene, a known carcinogen, may be directly causal.
ReproTox - An Information System
on Environmental Hazards to Human Reproduction and Development
Air Pollution Damages Babies in Womb - Study [2/15/05] - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Babies' DNA can be damaged even before they are born if their mothers breathe polluted air, according to a study published on Tuesday. [Ed. - It can be scary to pregnant women to think that there's not much they can do about the quality of the air they're breathing, but most indoor air pollution is actually caused by chemicals that you bring into your own home. Human Milk - Still the Best Choice discusses the ways that you can control the chemicals that enter your body.]
Pollution, fetal changes linked in study [2/16/05] - A study of New York City newborns suggests that prenatal exposure to air pollution may be linked to genetic changes associated with an increased risk of cancer, researchers have said.
Molecular
evidence of an interaction between prenatal environmental exposures and
birth outcomes in a multiethnic population.
Perera FP, Rauh V, Whyatt RM, Tsai WY, Bernert JT, Tu YH, Andrews H,
Ramirez J, Qu L, Tang D.
Environ Health Perspect. 2004 Apr;112(5):626-30.
"This study provides evidence that combined exposure to environmental
pollutants at levels currently encountered in New York City adversely affects
fetal development."
Human
Milk - Still the Best Choice by Rachel Mosteller
This great article from La Leche League discusses the chemical hazards
that can be passed through to babies in breastmilk, but it's even more
important to observe these guidelines during pregnancy!
Canada Study Details Pregnancy Chemical Hazard - [Oct 4, 2004] - Children whose mothers were exposed during pregnancy to common workplace chemicals scored lower on tests measuring language skills, attention and memory, researchers said on Monday.
Organic solvents such as ethanol, mineral spirits and acrylic resin
are found in facilities ranging from medical laboratories and dry cleaning
shops to nail salons. They are easily inhaled and can penetrate the skin.
The Chemical Scorecard - Just
type in your zip code and find out what chemicals are being released into
your neighborhood environment by manufacturing plants, which of these chemicals
are potentially the most harmful, and what companies are responsible.
A New Chemical
Headache: Solvents May Injure Unborn Brains - We’ve known for years
that exposure to any number of chemicals can cause developing fetuses physical
harm. From chlorinated hormone disruptors to cancer-causing hydrocarbons,
the list of developmental problems that can be caused by pre-natal exposure
to synthetic compounds is almost as long as the list of chemicals itself.
The growing list includes the latest research from the University of Toronto,
where scientists have discovered that in-utero contact with petroleum-based
solvents can harm mental abilities later in life.
Locate the Watershed
for your water supply and check out the environmental profile.
Teratogens in our Everyday Environment
Remember - if you can smell it, the molecules are in the mucous membranes
of your nose and mouth and in your bloodstream.
Avoid hair styling salons where you can smell chemicals. Avoid synthetic
perfumes, which includes most commercial scents. You can use organically
processed essential oils for fragrance.
Dry cleaners and copy shops are also horrible places for pregnant women!
Occupational/Environmental
Exposures - from motherisk.org
Is Pregnancy Safe for Women Working in Chemistry
Labs?
Chlorine, pollution and the environment
The substance used to chlorinate swimming pools is usually a salt (sodium
hypochlorite) which contains very little free chlorine. Organochlorines
do occur in swimming pools, but these do not include the highly toxic dioxins.
Toxins inhaled and absorbed through the skin can be more dangerous than
ingested toxins - showering, bathing and other activities which involve
hot water are particularly dangerous. Avoid being around the dishwasher
when it's running. Swimming pools may be a source of significant
exposure.
Herbicides Linked to Infant Health Problems
Texas Soil May Contain Teratogens
Obviously, there is mixed research about drinking water. If it's
possible to drink spring water from a reputable source, that seems optimal.
Prescription
drugs found in drinking water across U.S. - CNN.com
Study: Tap water poses
little pregnancy risk (Reuters) [] - Although some studies have suggested
that certain chemical byproducts in tap water raise a woman's risk of miscarriage,
new research suggests that the threat is small, if it exists at all.
Tap water may
hurt pregnant women
A
prospective study of spontaneous abortion: relation to amount and source
of drinking water consumed in early pregnancy.
Swan SH, Waller K, Hopkins B, Windham G, Fenster L, Schaefer C, Neutra
RR.
Epidemiology. 1998 Mar;9(2):126-33.
Environmental Health Investigations Branch, Department of Health Services, Emeryville, CA, USA.
This study confirms the association between cold tapwater and spontaneous
abortion first seen in this county in 1980. If causal, the agent(s)
is not ubiquitous but is likely to have been present in Region I for some
time.
From: C-reuters@clari.net (Reuters) Organization: Copyright 1997 by Reuters Date: Tue, 12 Aug 1997 1:00:38 PDTThe Environmental Working Group says the drinking water of 4.3 million Americans during the last year had concentrations of pesticides exceeding new federal standards of acceptable risk. The study also showed that people in farm areas, particularly the Midwestern corn belt, were being served a cocktail of farm chemicals in their tap water. The worst example was Williamsburg, Ohio, where 10 weedkillers and other chemicals were found in a glassful of water. But, despite the seemingly grim report, a spokesman for the group says U.S. drinking water may be improving. He says in a number of cities efforts to improve water quality are producing results.
Not all bottled waters are equal. There is a huge difference between
bottled tap water (Dasani, Aquafina, Propel, etc.), bottled spring water
(Calistoga, Poland Spring, etc.), bottled artesian water (Fiji), and bottled
mineral water (Gerolsteiner, Perrier, Evian, Apolonaris, Vichy, Pellegrino,
etc.). The differences in waters is much more commonly
known in Europe, and there is more awareness around the benefits of drinking
the different kinds of mineral waters available in their countries.
Also, there is a difference between waters sold in glass vs. plastic bottles.
----
A member of my family is an expert in water, and here is a part of
his email response to this article:
What they leave out is the simple fact that bottled spring or mineral water normally meets stricter standards than tap water and that bottled spring or mineral water usually has not traveled through hundreds of miles of pipe to sit in a reservoir where birds poop in it, fish breed in it, and then it is cleaned up using toxic chlorine which creates trihalamethanes and mutants, from the resultant carbon compounds left in the water from the aforementioned animal activity. These stay in the water no matter what kind of additional filters people use. The chlorine smell people detect in their tap water is actually from chloramines, the very compounds to which I refer.
In short, this type of article has been written since 1979 when Perrier first appeared. The one truth in the article with which I totally agree is that tap water makes up a huge amount of the bottled water industry and it is indeed a waste of money and all the resources they talk about.
Spring or mineral water is another story. Bottled reasonably close to the source, even if it involves trucking, it is pure and natural unlike any tap water out there and no chlorine is used. Ozone, manganese greensand and UV are used as they do not leave residual problems in the already clean spring or mineral water. Public water managers like chlorine because it is a broad-spectrum oxidant that can bind up the pathogens found in surface waters used as tap water. The resultant chemical compounds formed by chlorine are the problem, and the reason why bottled water is far superior to almost any tap water out there.
There are exceptions and I offer [deleted] tap water in the town of
[deleted] as one. The provider of this water has a deep, rural well with
no organics present so the chlorine he adds is benign. It meets State standards
without forming the huge chains of chemical compounds found in most tap
water.
Eight years ago, we thought Nalgene bottles were fine for pregnant women.
At this point, and given the rate of anomalies I'm seeing in baby boys,
I recommend that my clients use non-plastic water bottles. I especially
like the Sigg bottles, available online
from swissbottle.com
On
the Trail of Water Bottle Toxins...from the Non-Toxic Times Newsletter,
Vol. 5, No. 6 - April 2004
Toxin in plastics harming
unborn boys - Scientists say chemicals have gender bending effect by
Ian Sample, science correspondent - 5/27/05 - The Guardian
Toxic
Compounds in Food Containers Wreak Havoc on Your Health from Dr. Mercola.
Klean Kanteen - Reusable, lightweight, and risk-free stainless steel
The Biota compostable
bottle is made from corn!
And while you're thinking about the issue, think of baby bottles and
sippy cups, too! Born
Free has better solutions.
Thalates
Can Cause Birth Defects, Cancer [4/23/07] - Thalates are a group of
chemicals used to make plastics, making them more flexible.
Polycarbonate water bottles (labeled #7) contain bisphenol A (BPA), which leaches from the plastic even at room temperature and has been linked to chromosome damage and hormone disruption. These are the types of plastic Nalgene water bottles found in sports stores. #1 PET or PETE bottles (polyethylene terephthalate) may leach DEHA, a known carcinogen, if used more than once. Additionally, your water bottle that has been refilled is likely to contain potentially harmful bacteria that grow on saliva, food particles, and fecal material from unwashed hands. Many people have reported getting diarrhea from their reused water bottles. Washing bottles with hot water and detergent or a rinse with bleach will sanitize them, but also leaches harmful chemicals out of the plastic.
What to do?
Use metal bottles. A Swiss company, SIGG, makes colorful and safe aluminum drinking bottles lined with an impermeable alloy. They're available online from swissbottle.com. They can be found on the Internet. The best price and the greatest variety of choices I have found in the US is at www.momovelo.com in the sundries/liquids section. They offer both children’s and adult’s sizes and designs. Many other sites carry SIGG bottles as well. Thermos makes stainless steel bottles for both hot and cold drinks or soups at www.thermos.com. Wash these bottles and their tops with hot water by hand after use. Dishwashers may not get into the narrow mouths of water bottles to clean their interiors.
Safer plastic containers are polyethylene #2 and #4 (High density HDPE #2 and Low density LDPE #4). HDPE is used for milk, water, juice, and yogurt containers. LDPE is used for squeezable bottles (honey, mustard, etc.).
Buy food products packaged in glass whenever possible. Use glass containers for storing leftovers.
Relatively safe:
The following is a quote, straight from SIGG:
"The proprietary SIGG bottle lining is a water-based, non-toxic coating that is baked into the interior walls and remains flexible and crack resistant for the life of the bottle....Due to the finish of the liner, there is much less chance for bacteria build-up with a SIGG as opposed to plastic containers."
"The (lining) formula has not been released, since it is proprietary, but we have been working with them and they have agreed to release it soon. The liner has undergone extensive tests in Switzerland and Germany. The liner absolutely does not leach Bisphenol-A or other potential toxins. We have conducted our own tests in the US with a California lab, and they confirmed the European findings. So, the best I can do at this time is to assure you that the liner is completely safe, does not leach plastic products, contains no petroleum products, and exceeds all associated FDA requirements for food liners. The additional information will be released soon from Switzerland." -- Ron Peters of SIGG USA
Furthermore, "bottles made by the manufacturer Sigg, market leader in
both Switzerland and Germany, showed no traces of aluminum...the manufacturer
Sigg shows that it is possible to avoid residue from synthetic coating.
Rolf Kothrade, responsible for aluminium bottles at Sigg, explains that
his company changed the entire production process two years ago and now
uses a water-based interior coating." -- OKO-TEST July 1997 (Independent
German Consumer Test Magazine).
Apparently mercola.com is now
carrying low-cost enamel-coated cast iron cookware. [I wans't able
to find them, but you might, and the savings are worth your time.]
dangers
of teflon cookware - a metacollection of links
Chronology
of Teflon/Scotchgard (PFCs) Content from the Environmental Working
Group
Scanpan addresses the
question: "Recent news reports (January 2006) seem to make a case for
nonstick pans being unsafe to use. Is that so, and if not, why not?"
They say that the carcinogenic chemical is involved in the manufacture
of nonstick coatings, but that none is actually carried on the finished
product.
Is
Nonstick Cookware Safe? from about.com
Natural Consumer Products
Found Contaminated with Cancer-Causing 1,4-Dioxane [Mar., 2008]
A cancer-causing compound called 1,4-dioxane has been found in some
of the most commonly used petroleum-based cosmetics by a study commissioned
by the Organic Consumers Association, including products from Kiss My Face,
Nutribiotic, Jason, Ecover, Citrus Magic, 365, Alba, Lifetree, Giovanni,
Seventh Generation, Method, Earth Friendly Products, Sea-Chi Organics and
many other brands . 1,4-dioxane (often just called dioxane) is a clear,
colorless, organic compound that's a liquid at room temperature and is
a known human carcinogen.
Terressentials: Organic and
100% Natural Body Care. We hand-craft a wide range of certified organic
products: organic skin care, organic hair care, organic baby products,
and other goods made with certified organic herbs and certified organic
essential oils. USDA Certified Organic!
ilumina Organics proudly
provides Organic products developed by Health & Wellness experts to
help guide you and your baby to a healthier, safer lifestyle. They
have an education page about The
Real Truth Behind Non–Organic & Natural Products.
New EWG Study Finds Most
Personal Care Products Untested, Ranks Brand Names for Safety - Despite
widespread belief to the contrary, the federal government has no authority
to require health studies or safety assessments for personal care products
before they are sold. EWG's interactive investigation allows consumers
to decode the ingredient labels on 7,500 different products.
Hazards to Avoid from
MOOM
Skin Nourishing Hair Remover and Beauty Products
Skin
Deep: The Hidden Toxins in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
Popular
Make-up Brands Get a Non-Toxic Makeover - Revlon and L’Oreal have applied
the new European Union rules that ban a wide variety of hazardous compounds
from consumer products.
A'kin ® is made naturally
by The Purist Company Australia. . .the 'world leader' in Safe, Pure, Natural,
Organic hair, body and healthy skin care. A'kin ® products are organic,
ingredient rich, vegan, 100%
natural botanical aromatherapy, are hypo-allergenic in matching the
skins natural pH and are the world's first sulfate, paraben & ethoxylate
FREE products.
With all the attention on organic foods, many consumers are unaware of the potential health benefits provided by a wide variety of personal care products made to the same high levels of organic purity. It is a known fact that, as the skin is porous, much of what we apply to our skin is absorbed into our bodies and bloodstreams, as exemplified by products like the nicotine patch. As the body's largest organ, the skin creates a substantial surface area through which toxic chemical migration may occur. Recent studies have shown that people may actually acquire more toxins through skin absorption and inhalation than through the foods we eat. Using personal care products with ingredients grown and processed free of toxic pesticides, fertilizers and chemical preservatives has obvious and irrefutable benefits.
MotherNature.com has become the first online retailer to be awarded Organic Certification under the USDA's National Organic Program. Visit their online Organic Body and Bath Store.
What It Means To You
When consumers see the USDA ORGANIC label on MotherNature.com, they
are assured that the products have undergone a lengthy audit guaranteeing
that the products' organic integrity is maintained throughout its full
lifecycle. Each organic product is carefully scrutinized and recorded to
ensure that it:
1. does not contain prohibited substances in its formulations (including
genetically modified materials and certain chemical preservatives);
2. is made from ingredients grown without the use of toxic pesticides,
fungicides, herbicides and fertilizers;
3. is clearly labeled to provide the customer with details on organic
ingredients and content levels;
4. is transported and warehoused in such a way as to prevent commingling
with non-organic products;
5. is stored in facilities which are cleaned and maintained without
the use of ammonias and other prohibited substances; and
6. has a detailed audit and record of the source of its ingredients.
One of the scariest pieces of news I heard was that many skin care products
contain "enhancers" to increase their absorption through the skin, and
that there is no FDA control over these products!
If someone out there has some really concrete proof of the dangers of
formaldehyde in sculptured nail products (not just in the clinical/research
use) I sure would appreciate it.
Was assisting with a beautician/ manicurist who developed a very strange severe intractable anemia. (highly compromised baby, emergency cesarean for chronic distress). I didn't believe her occupation could possibly be considered a contributing factor until I read this in Bensons on aplastic anemia "the anemia may be a toxic sequela to administration of drugs such a s chloramphenicol, phenylbutazone, mephenytoin, or alkylating agents. Hair dyes, insecticides, and cleaning fluids may be implicated also."
I absolutely don' t know that this was the cause, but her working in
a tiny shop with no open window or working ventilating system certainly
couldn't have helped her pregnancy!
As an ex-cosmetologist I have something that may be related...
While working in our fairly small and very busy salon, out of the 6 girls that worked there, we experienced 3 miscarriages in a period of 6 months. We didn't do nails, but did do a lot of chemical services and had very poor ventilation. We (those of us who miscarried) became pregnant again a short time later (yes, all three of us, it was like an epidemic). We all experienced a great deal of severe nausea. I also experienced dizziness to the point that I would have to sit down for fear of collapsing. I have often wondered if these problems were related to the chemicals.
Two of us have gone on to become pregnant again. I had a pretty uneventful pregnancy, with a little bit of nausea at the beginning. My friend still had quite a bit of nausea during the majority of her pregnancy, but has told me that it was still much less severe than the previous pregnancy.
Household Toxins from Decorating Baby's Room
Are You Putting Your Unborn Baby’s Health at Risk? By Sarah Marr
If you are like most expectant mothers you want to create, design, and decorate a special place for your new baby, a place that speaks from your heart, is safe, and comfortable.
However, your good intentions could be endangering your new born. What
most new mom’s don’t know is that redecorating means exposing your unborn
child to toxic chemicals through; brand new paint, new carpet, washable
vinyl, wallpaper, new crib with synthetic mattress, new no iron sheets,
new easy care synthetic clothing, disinfectants, scented baby lotions,
powders, synthetic fiber stuffed animals, plastic rattles all of which
are made with toxic chemicals and are potential health risks to your new
baby’s health.
Coffee,
pregnancy, and stress - A small, preliminary study suggests that drinking
coffee may reduce maternal stress in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Researchers found that “the relaxing effect of coffee is stronger in pregnant
than in nonpregnant women”.
Coffee
raises fetal death rate -- [11/15/05] -- Drinking more than three cups
of coffee daily when pregnant increases the risk of fetal death, says a
Danish study released Tuesday.
Pregnant
women who drank eight or more cups of coffee per day during pregnancy had
an increased risk of stillbirth, but not of infant death.
[BMJ 2003;326:420 ( 22 February )]
Caffeine Enzymes' Activity Linked to Spontaneous Abortion Risk - The activity level of two enzymes involved in caffeine metabolism are associated with the risk of spontaneous abortion; these are preliminary findings but warrant further research. [Obstet Gynecol 2001;98:1059-1066.]
Caffeine
intake and the risk of first-trimester spontaneous abortion.
Cnattingius S, Signorello LB, Anneren G, Clausson B, Ekbom A, Ljunger
E, Blot WJ, McLaughlin JK, Petersson G, Rane A, Granath F.
N Engl J Med 2000 Dec 21;343(25):1839-45
Michel Odent is investigating a preconceptional programme to remove
fatty acids from the maternal system.
JOPPPAH 17(2), Winter, 2002, p. 123
Pregnant Women and Nursing Mothers Should Avoid French Fries and Chips
- Pregnant women and nursing mothers should sharply limit, or even cease,
consumption of French fries, potato chips or other foods that contain the
cancer-causing chemical acrylamide, according to study released by German
researchers. Reuters Health Information 01/2003
Trans
fatty acids may impair biosynthesis of long-chain polyunsaturates and growth
in man.
Koletzko B.
Acta Paediatr 1992 Apr;81(4):302-6
"Trans fatty acids were also inversely correlated to birth weight but
not to gestational age. These data indicate a potential impairment of essential
fatty acid metabolism and early growth by trans isomers in man, and question
the safety of high dietary trans isomer intakes during pregnancy and the
perinatal period."
"Trans fatty acids represent a particular group of fat-soluble pollutants.
Today they are abundant in such foods as cakes, biscuits, French fries,
fast foods, etc. A German team demonstrated that they cross the placenta
and have adverse effects on fetal growth. An American team found
a correlation between the maternal intake of trans fatty acids and the
risk of pre-eclampsia, a maternal disease that can have long term consequences
for the child."
JOPPPAH 17(2), Winter, 2002, p. 121
Holistic Dentistry
- Six Common Dental Procedures That can Harm Your Health, and How Environmental
Dentistry (aka Holistic or Biological Dentistry) can Help
MELISA® tests for allergy to metals
such as mercury, nickel and titanium, and measures the severity of the
reaction
The Got Mercury? calculator
helps you figure out your mercury exposure levels.
Fish Oil Supplements
May Be Safer Than Eating Fish
Fish
Consumption to Promote Good Health and Minimize Contaminants from the
Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
How
Mercury-Tainted Tuna Damages Fetal Brains By Sandra Steingraber
Mercury Exposure During the Primal Period
- by Michel Odent, Winter, 2003
On Nov. 15, 2000, the judge of the Superior Court of California in San Francisco signed a consent decree that requires that the link between birth defects and silver-mercury dental fillings will have to be disclosed to California dental patients after Feb. 15, 2001.
Mercury
Damage Seen in Children of Fish Eaters - Scientists at the Harvard
School of Public Health have found that methyl mercury contamination of
seafood can cause heart damage and irreversible impairment to brain function
in children, both in the womb and as they grow. [It's not clear how this
compares to the mercury from dental work - we need more research on this
subject.]
Pregnant Women Warned on Fish [Jan. 2000] - Pregnant women and
those who might become pregnant should not eat four types of fish--shark,
swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish--because it could contain enough
mercury to, over time, hurt an unborn baby's developing brain, the government
said. But the Food and Drug Administration rejected calls to also put tuna
on the list, saying the other four types of fish contain far more mercury
than does tuna.
Sushi - One of my clients is a highly trained sushi chef, and
he says that the raw fish in sushi is fine for pregnant women if it has
been deep frozen below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 days. Apparently
this will kill any parasites that are the primary concern for pregnant
women. (Mercury is still an issue.)
If an expectant mother can't quit cigarettes, she might counter some of the bad effects by taking extra vitamin C.
Vitamin
C prevents the effects of prenatal nicotine on pulmonary function in newborn
monkeys.
Proskocil BJ, Sekhon HS, Clark JA, Lupo SL, Jia Y, Hull WM, Whitsett
JA, Starcher BC, Spindel ER.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005 May 1;171(9):1032-9. Epub 2005 Feb
11.
Smoking during pregnancy leads to decreased pulmonary function and increased
respiratory illness in offspring. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated
that many effects of smoking during pregnancy are mediated by nicotine.
We now report that vitamin C supplementation can prevent some of the effects
of maternal nicotine exposure on pulmonary function of offspring. Timed-pregnant
rhesus monkeys were treated with 2 mg/kg/day nicotine bitartrate from Gestation
Days 26 to 160. On Gestation Day 160 (term, 165 days) fetuses were delivered
by C-section and subjected to pulmonary function testing the following
day. Nicotine exposure significantly reduced forced expiratory flows, but
supplementation of mothers with 250 mg vitamin C per day prevented the
effects of nicotine on expiratory flows. Vitamin C supplementation also
prevented the nicotine-induced increases in surfactant apoprotein-B protein.
Neither nicotine nor nicotine plus vitamin C significantly affected levels
of cortisol or cytokines, which have been shown to affect lung development
and surfactant expression. Prenatal nicotine exposure significantly decreased
levels of elastin content in the lungs of offspring, and these effects
were slightly attenuated by vitamin C. These findings suggest that vitamin
C supplementation may potentially be clinically useful to limit the deleterious
effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy on offspring's lung function.
Smoking
can damage fetal genes - a preliminary study in yesterday's Journal
[3/9/05] of the American Medical Association suggests that there was a
3½-fold increase in structural chromosomal abnormalities in fetal
cells from pregnant smokers than those from nonsmokers.
7 Ways Smoking
Harms Babies in the Womb from Dr. Sears
MEDLINE
Abstracts: Maternal Smoking - 01/28/2004 [Medscape registration is
free]
A
tobacco-specific carcinogen in the fetus.
Milunsky A, Carmella SG, Ye M, Hecht SS
Prenat Diagn 2000 Apr;20(4):307-310
Tobacco Abuse in Pregnancy by Robert J. Oliver, M.D., Ph.D.
JOPPPAH 17(2), Winter, 2002, p. 153
Second-Hand Smoke and Pregnancy Risk
A study by researchers at the University of Birmingham indicated that up to 15 percent of childhood cancers could be due to smoking by fathers.
``Fathers who smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day had a 42 percent increased risk of having a child with cancer,'' Dr Thomas Sorahan of the University of Birmingham told a news conference.
Those who smoked between 10 and 20 cigarettes a day had a 31 percent increased risk compared to non-smokers, while those who smoked less than 10 cigarettes a day still increased their children's risk of cancer by three percent.
Sorahan's group looked at data from the Oxford Survey of Childhood Cancers, a review of more than 1,500 parents whose children died of cancer between 1953 and 1955.
They compared the figures with 1,500 parents whose children did not have cancer during the same period.
``We started out with a very precise and detailed hypothesis -- that a mother's smoking was not a risk factor to childhood cancer but a father's is,'' Sorahan said.
Sorahan's group had seen studies in the United States that indicated cigarette smoke could damage sperm and said this backed their epidemiological study -- one looking at actual incidences of disease in a population.
The findings were striking, he said, and were clear even when other factors such as social class, whether the mother smoked, whether the mother had been X-rayed during pregnancy and the age of the parents were taken into account.
Sorahan said his group was now looking at more recent data, from 1971 to 1976. But he said the older surveys might be more reliable.
``Those data were collected well before stop-smoking campaigns were in full flow, so maybe there were more accurate answers,'' he said.
Parental smoking has also been linked by other research to cot death or sudden infant death syndrome, and mothers who smoke risk having smaller babies.
``This new study gives a compelling reason for men who smoke and want
children to quit,'' said Gordon McVie, director general of the Cancer Research
Campaign, which sponsored the research and published the paper in its British
Journal of Cancer.
Maternal
alcohol consumption during pregnancy may delay the development of spontaneous
fetal startle behaviour.
Hepper PG, Dornan JC, Little JF.
Physiol Behav. 2005 Jan 17;83(5):711-4.
"Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy may delay the development
of spontaneous fetal startle behaviour. Previous study indicated that fetuses
exposed to alcohol exhibited a significantly higher incidence of spontaneous
startles compared to fetuses not exposed at 20 weeks gestation. This study
examined startle behaviour longitudinally from 20 to 35 weeks gestation
to determine whether the previous results were due to 'developmental delay'
or a 'permanent effect'. The number of spontaneous startles exhibited by
fetuses of mothers who drank during pregnancy and fetuses whose mothers
did not drink was recorded at 20, 25, 30 and 35 weeks gestation during
a 45-min observation. The results indicate that exposure to alcohol during
pregnancy significantly increases the exhibition of spontaneous startles
by the fetus but across gestation there is significant catch-up in startle
behaviour. The results suggest exposure to alcohol delays the natural maturation
of spontaneous startle behaviour of the fetus but also has a smaller 'permanent'
effect. It is suggested that these effects are mediated by alcohol exerting
an effect on the inhibitory pathways controlling startle behaviour."
Quite frankly, when I saw the video, it looked to me as if the babies
were hiccuping. We have a cultural association between alcohol and
hiccuping. Are scientists really sure that this isn't anything beyond
hiccuping?
I'm suspicious about this line in the Reuters report: "Hepper found
that the babies of mothers who drank — whether one unit a week or four
— all continued to display a “startle reflex” throughout their pregnancy.
The reflex in the babies of the non-drinking mothers tailed off at 18 weeks."
Well, a startle reflex (also called the Moro reflex) is a normal newborn
reflex, so it doesn't actually tail off at 18 weeks. Something's
wrong with this research or the reporting of it.
I think the difference is the presence of spontaneous startle
reflexes, i.e. a startle response not caused by what we would call a startling
stimulus.
Having lived in a few different countries I see the issue as some sort of anthropological exercise.
In France women were told that a glass of wine was fine but heaven forbid they had coffee.
In Holland (HUGE coffee drinkers!) wine was forbidden but one "kupje" coffee wasn't seen as being too problematic. Then I moved to the US were both were considered threatening to mother and baby.
Now Mexico..where moms are told to consume as little of each as possible but where I see pregnant women consuming both.
The campaign used here is "Todo con medida..nada con exceso."
Everything in moderation.nothing in excess.
Governmental
Response to Pregnant Women Who Use Alcohol or Other Drugs from National
Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) - This Overview surveys civil and
criminal laws directly addressing pregnant women's use of alcohol and other
drugs. It reveals a patchwork of policies, some oriented toward treatment,
some purportedly focused on child protection, some frankly punitive.
Alcohol, Nicotine,
Substance Use - from motherisk.org
Alcohol
during pregnancy by Dr. Fawzia Sanaullah [Dec. 2004 - a PowerPoint
presentation]
Maternal
and paternal recreational drug use and sudden infant death syndrome.
Klonoff-Cohen H, Lam-Kruglick P.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001 Jul;155(7):765-70.
"There was no association between maternal recreational drug use and
SIDS. Paternal marijuana use during the periods of conception and pregnancy
and postnatally were significantly associated with SIDS."
Compulsory Treatment Orders - Patient's Rights
Issues
LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF - ALCOHOL, SMOKING, CAFFEINE AND CANNABIS - from
Britain's
National
Childbirth Trust
The information all first-time mothers are given in pregnancy
is that 'there is no evidence that light or occasional drinking will harm
their baby'. This is defined as 'no more than one or two units of alcohol
once or twice a week', i.e. up to four units.
Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, UK Guideline on Alcohol Consumption in Pregnancy
There is no conclusive evidence of adverse effects in either growth or IQ at levels of consumption below 120gms (15 units) per week. Nonetheless it is recommended that women should be careful about alcohol consumption in pregnancy and limit this to no more than one standard drink per day.1 unit of alcohol approximately equals 8gms of absolute alcohol, which is equivalent to:
½ pint of ordinary strength
beer, larger or cider
¼ pint of strong beer or larger
1 small glass wine
1 single measure of spirits
1 small glass sherry
From: C-upi@clari.net (UPI / LIDIA WASOWICZ, UPI Science Writer) Subject: Health Today [Jul 7] Organization: Copyright 1997 by United Press International Date: Mon, 7 Jul 1997 2:00:57 PDTGENE LINKED TO FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME: A few nights of binge drinking during the first trimester of pregnancy can leave babies with malformed faces, weak hearts, short limbs and impaired brains -- for life. This fetal alcohol syndrome affects some 12,000 U.S. babies each year. Many studies have produced many theories as to why alcohol inflicts such devastating damage. Most have speculated alcohol must stage a complex, multifaceted attack against several different parts of the body. But now Washington University School of Medicine scientists in St. Louis say they've found the real answer may be much simpler. In mice studies, they have traced the horrendous complications of fetal alcohol syndrome to a single alcohol-impaired gene. When researchers injected pregnant mice with alcohol, this essential gene disappeared in developing embryos. The gene, called msx2, helps control the development of the brain, heart, limbs, skull bones and other structures.
NAPARE Alcohol, Drug, and Pregnancy Hotline 1-800-???-???? Provides
information and counseling. 9 am - 5 pm CST, M-F. [Search online for this.]
There is NO EVIDENCE of harm from moderate alcohol intake at any stage
of pregnancy. Various groups have advised total avoidance on the basis
that regular excess consumption is harmful. Most of the publications on
the subject have that message hidden away somewhere.
I agree. There is NO EVIDENCE that moderate alcohol consumption can hurt a baby. Babies do NOT get fetal alcohol syndrome because mom drank a glass of champagne during the pregnancy! (I think these abstinence campaigns are good because they may help women avoid problem drinking behaviors. I think they are terrible because they unnecessarily frighten women!)
I have stats if anyone wishes them. Some folks seem really angry to
hear them. They are simply reprints from CDC. Please don't get mad at me
about the information, I'm just passing it along.
I get a bit amused sometimes at the north american puritanical attitude about alcohol and pregnancy -- funny how every country thinks it has the "proper" recommendations on this one -- and how nearly every country's is different!
I like to remind myself that alcohol is an inevitable by product of
food metabolization -- your body is producing alcohol every day, so obviously
it cannot be completely and absolutely toxic to a fetus. The key to this,
as in so many things, is moderation. Fortunately during the critical periods
of fetal organ differentiation, many women feel too sick to drink anyway!
Government Publication on "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome"
This [the above] seems to contradict a rather larger study published
in the Br.Med.J. a couple of years ago. ( sorry don't have reference here
it's at work ) That study showed no evidence of adverse affect at lower
end of exposure range, though even they over-cautiously advised probably
no alcohol is best !
I did a research project on FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) I was particularly looking at indians, I interviewed a Hopi woman who had given birth to a FAS child. First- alcohol consumption in pregnancy IS serious... BUT- there IS a direct correlation between the amount of alcohol consumed AND the duration of the drinking. The blood alcohol levels have to be elevated consistently for FAS and FAE (Fetal Alcohol Effect- not as serious, still some brain compromise but no physical deformities) to happen. Drinking one or two drinks early in pregnancy will NOT cause FAS. Generally binge drinking is considered worse than an occasional drink now and then. we are talking >2OZ of alcohol at a time. there is a LOT of information on FAS. I have attended workshops etc. and can get out specific info for those of you who want it, but the leaders here seem to be the people doing maternal child health at the IHS (Indian Health Service). Anyhow- i don't think it is worth it to scare a pregnant woman who drank a few drinks before she knew she was pregnant. If she had a beer or a couple of glasses of wine, it's probably OK. However, if she binge drank and did this several days in a row you are talking about a different story and may want to see if the woman is an alcohol abuser.
Finally, one thing about FAS is that usually it doesn't show up in an
alcoholic woman until her 3rd or 4th pregnancy. She may have drank a lot
her first pregnancy and her liver could handle it but if she consistently
drinks by the time she is pregnant with baby #3 her liver is shot and the
blood alcohol levels stay high with the result that the baby's brain gets
soaked in ETOH resulting in permanent brain damage... So find out how much
someone has drunk before you either tell them not to worry or admonish
them... personally i think it's hard to chastise a woman for something
she did before she knew she was pregnant. You need to find out exactly
what the substance use was and if it WAS abuse then act accordingly.. because
she can't go back in time and undo it... and another piece of data is that
women who are alcoholics will decrease their chances of delivering a FAS
or FAE child if they stop drinking... again, it's quantity and duration
that cause the brain damage...
From: Janneli.Miller@nau.edu
Here's some of the more pertinent sources from my Hopi FAS paper. I did this in 1992, so references are older, but some are still standards, i haven't heard of any breakthroughs re the issue of how much alcohol is "too much" or 'safe"...
Eugene Hoyme, MD at University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, specializes in teratogens, esp. alcohol.
I think that any of you who want more info should look into Streissguth,
Philip May and Kathleen Masis, as of 1993 they were the people that were
the best informed... although who knows what has happened in the past 5
years. They were (are) wonderful informed dedicated professionals, i spoke
personally with Masis and May several times...
My understanding is that individual metabolism of alcohol varies and,
while it is unlikely that daily consumption of one glass of wine will lead
to FAS, it is possible. My recollection of what we know about alcohol and
pregnancy is that FAS is primarily associated with consuming large amounts
of alcohol, in particular binge drinking and certainly not with 4 or 5
total drinks in an entire pregnancy.
Long Piece on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Some Replies to Long Piece on Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome
Long Reply to Long Piece on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
In Sweden all intake of alcohol during pregnancy and nursing is condemned
by the health authorities. There are on-going campaigns about this issue
and you are stared at with hostility if you drink an alcoholic beverage
while pregnant. As some of you have pointed out, this information unsupported
by studies etc. do nothing but cause guilt - and for all I know - a greater
intake in shame in privacy at home.
Student report on marijuana use during pregnancy
or labor and birth
In my personal experience, there HAVE been several compromised infants
born to regular marijuana users. Fetal stress, being the most reoccurring
one. I am no longer surprised when a user gives birth to a "mec"
stained baby, and for me, this is not always present, but once we have
a stressed baby, we almost always have to clear the airways, give blow
by or transport in the event of heavy mec in early labor. This is
proven over time and again not to be the case of a crimped cord or head
compression in second stage. READ: Early labor fetal distress, not
always the suspected late first/second stage labor. I don't know
but a few other midwives willing to admit this is true for them, but what
I've seen, it is a distinct "yes."
Marijuana
Use and Birth Defects
Maternal
and paternal recreational drug use and sudden infant death syndrome.
"There was no association between maternal recreational drug use and
SIDS. Paternal marijuana use during the periods of conception and pregnancy
and postnatally were significantly associated with SIDS."
Interesting sites regarding marijuana and pregnancy:
Prenatal
Marijuana Exposure and Neonatal Outcomes in Jamaica: An Ethnographic Study
Exposing
Marijuana Myths: A Review of the Scientific Evidence
MARIJUANA
AND MEDICINE: Assessing the Science Base
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