Pregnancy: exposure to solvents dangerous for the baby
A pregnant woman in repeated contact with solvents is 2.5 times more likely to give birth to a malformed baby than an unexposed mother. This is the result of a study conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), made public September 15. This research will be published in the journal Occupational and environmental medicine.
Of the 3,421 women participating in this survey, 3,005 had a job and 30% of them said they were in regular contact with at least one solvent product during their professional activity.
Women most exposed to solvents work in the research and health sector, such as laboratory technicians, nurses and caregivers, but also in the maintenance sector, such as cleaning women, as well as in the health care sector. hairdressing and aesthetics.
These solvents are found most often in varnishes, cleaning products, paints, as well as in some cosmetic products. The fetus is also exposed when the future mother inhales these solvents, which can pass into the placenta.
But malformations are rare, since they concern only 2 to 3% of infants. They are manifested by abnormalities such as hare beaks, malformations of the kidneys and the urinary system. Boys also experience deformities in the genital tract.
The researchers who followed the future mothers studied the development of the baby from the first three months of pregnancy, supported by gynecologists and sonographers. In order to assess risks by type of solvent, they are currently researching biomarkers and accurate dosages of these products through the urine of pregnant women in early pregnancy.
