Tag: pregnancy

  • Toxic PFAS Can Cross the Placenta Exposing Unborn Children

    Health effects of environmental exposures have been a growing concern all over the world in the last decades. Of particular concern is exposure to known endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are found in personal care products, additives or contaminants in food, household products, including chemical coatings. Because of the endocrine system’s critical role in maintaining cell integrity, and in the regulation of a number of other biological processes, impairments in any part of the endocrine system can lead to cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders. 

    Laboratory tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group – a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, exposed the shocking truth that American babies are born pre-polluted with highly persistent perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The PFAS group comprises thousands of man-made chemicals, which, thanks to their unique chemical and physical properties, are used in everything from frying pans and paper food packaging to clothes, cleaning agents and firefighting foams.

    Studies have shown how highly fluorinated chemicals pass through the placenta throughout pregnancy and deposit to the embryo and fetal tissue. Further research is now needed to ascertain the effect that these substances have on different fetal organs. 

    Maternal PFAS Exposure May Affect the Development of Unborn Babies and Breastfeeding Infants 

    People can be exposed to PFAS from a variety of different sources over time, including from today’s consumer products. However, ongoing exposure to PFAS in drinking water can substantially increase total exposure in humans and can lead to concentrations in the body high enough to potentially increase health risks. 

    The accumulation of PFAS in maternal tissue (e.g. placenta, umbilical cord blood, and mammary glands) is related to the growing incidence of endocrine-associated pediatric disorders. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can alter a baby’s hormonal system by modifying or substituting natural hormones and interfering with cellular signaling. The weight of the evidence shows that prolonged exposure to certain contaminants can affect a baby’s well-being over time by causing subtle, but important changes in early development that can manifest later in childhood and adulthood, such as learning and cognitive disabilities, behavioral problems, and nervous system imbalances.

    Developmental effects affecting the infants and older children:

    • Reduced response to vaccines
    • Lung function impairment
    • Lower birth weight
    • Delayed mammary gland development
    • Obesity

    In recent years, special attention has also been focused on the toxic chemicals detected in breast milk since it’s consumed by infants. Researchers have found that protein-rich breast milk can be a major source of PFAS exposure, as these chemicals accumulate easily in human breast milk and can build up to worrying levels in breastfeeding babies. Prenatal exposure can affect immunity, hormonal functions, and the development of the nervous system.

    How Can Expectant Mothers Protect Their Future Children From Toxic PFAS Chemicals?

    Because PFAS chemicals have an important bioaccumulation potential, these chemicals are only very slowly eliminated from the body, which means even short-term exposure could be harmful. Reproductive health experts say that advice that preventing exposure to pregnant women or women trying to become pregnant is critical to prevent childhood neurological harm. FDA scientists confirmed that chemical contamination of PFAS has made its way into the U.S. food supply chain. The main sources of PFAS substances today are food, in the form of fish, milk, meat and eggs, or in the drinking water, if you happen to live near military bases, industrial plants, commercial airports or firefighting training sites. 

    During early development, the human fetus is vulnerable and relatively susceptible to impact from adverse conditions within the mother’s environment. As these persistent organic pollutants can be absorbed by the mother through food or water and subsequently by the unborn baby, who will absorb them via the placenta, pregnant women living in or near areas that have been identified as having been contaminated with PFAS should take steps to limit their exposure to these chemicals. 

    Decreased exposure to PFAS chemicals may be achieved by:

    • using consumer products from green labels;
    • avoid greasy or oily packed and fast foods, as the packages often contain grease-repellant coatings;
    • monitoring PFAS levels in drinking water and taking action as soon as possible if PFAS are discovered in the drinking water at concentrations that exceed the health advisory levels;
    • avoid eating fish, including fish caught in areas affected by PFAS; the exposure also comes from sources other than drinking water, such as fish, as long-chain PFAS has been shown to bioaccumulate in freshwater fish to concentrations that pose a threat to human health can accumulate in freshwater fish to concentrations that pose a threat to human health.

    While the potential magnitude of PFAS risk is daunting, public health advocacy organizations and environmental attorneys need to be proactively committed to strengthening drinking water protections and supporting community groups who are fighting for their community’s right to safe drinking water. Both persistence and prevalence of PFAS chemicals make it a simmering threat that should be mitigated to minimize the spread of adverse health outcomes in humans and negative environmental impacts.

    References:

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4626367/

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5322271/

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18497172

    https://www.ewg.org/research/body-burden-pollution-newborns

    https://www.ewg.org/research/minority-cord-blood-report/executive-summary

    https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/pfas-exposure.html

    About the author:

    Treven Pyles is the administrative director at Environmental Litigation Group, P.C., a widely recognized law firm located in Birmingham, Alabama, with a distinguished record of helping victims of wrongful exposure to dangerous substances to cover the high medical costs of a serious illness, potentially lifelong and fatal. Treven is in charge of organizing complex operations that involve people and information and knows the importance of addressing the clients’ needs in complex cases like environmental litigation

  • How to Minimize Wireless Radiation Exposure while Pregnant

    Pregnancy is one of the most exciting times in a Mother’s life.  It can also be very overwhelming- you want to do everything right and give your baby the best possible start in life.  You might be reading a lot, or looking online for all kinds of tips and ideas about pregnant life.  One thing you might not encounter is how your EMF exposure might be affecting your baby.

    It has been well established that the health of our smallest family members are more affected by electromagnetic fields than adults (mostly due to a still-developing nervous system and thinner skulls and bone structure).

    According to researcher Ann Louise Gittleman in her book Zapped,

    When it comes to EMFs, studies have shown that [children’s] thinner skulls and bones allow them to absorb twice the amount of radiation as a grown-up. EMFs can more deeply penetrate their brain tissue, which is more conductive than an adult’s because it contains a higher concentration of fluid and ions. One study found that a cell pone call lasting only two minutes causes brain hyperactivity that persists or an hour in children.

    • Cell phones emit radio frequency radiation (RF). RF has been shown to damage cellular DNA, which may lead to cancerous mutations. Even low-level RF exposure causes the body to create heat stress proteins, a temporarily protective measure that is harmful if this stress response is chronic.
    • The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified cell phone radiation as a Class 2B Carcinogen – the same class as the pesticide DDT and lead!
    • According to the Environmental Working Group, childrens’ brains absorb twice the amount of cell phone radiation as adults’ brains (source)
    • Studies on the health effects of cell phone radiation have mixed results. But does funding bias contribute to the controversial results?  This study published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal found that industry-funded research was vastly more likely to show no health effects (72% – no effect, 28% – effect) versus independently-funded research (67% – effect, 33% – no effect).
    • As recorded in the book Zapped, Dr. Ronald Herberman, M.D., a director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, said, “Although the evidence is controversial, I am convinced that there are sufficient data to  warrant issuing an advisory to share some precautionary advice on cell phone use.” He counseled his staff to limit the amount of time they spend on their cell phones and to avoid making calls in public places “where you can passively expose others to your phone’s electromagnetic fields.”
    • The BioInitiative Report has compiled up-to-date research on the effects of EMFs and RFs. According to the document, which can be viewed here (PDF), “The great strength of the BioInitiative Report (www.bioinitiative.org) is that it has been done independent of governments, existing bodies and industry professional societies that have clung to old standards. Precisely because of this, the BioInitiative Report presents a solid scientific and public health policy assessment that is evidence-based.”
    • According to the BioInitiative report, “Roughly, 1800 new studies have been published [between 2007 and 2012] reporting effects at [radiation/EMF] exposure levels ten to hundreds or thousands of times lower than allowed under safety limits in most countries of the world.”

    During pregnancy you have a unique opportunity to protect your baby from these insults and to help them to have the safest start in life that they possibly can. You might be thinking, ‘But wifi and cell phones are everywhere!  I can’t avoid them all.’ And you would be correct, however, Given the research, it only makes sense to incorporate cell phone safety measures into your life. 

    Here are 3 ways to reduce your exposure to cell phone radiation: 

    1. When it comes to cell phone radiation, the vital factor is the proximity of the phone to your vital organs – particularly your brain. Distance yourself from the phone and/or wireless laptop.

    2. Did you know that you are most vulnerable to environmental toxins and radiation when you are sleeping? Turn it off at night.

    3.  Even when you aren’t making a call, the phone is emitting constant radiation to connect to the nearest antenna. Avoid “wearing” your phone, so keep it out of your pockets and don’t clip it onto your belt.

    It is not paranoia to exercise caution with your children and cell phone radiation – it is wisdom! 

    In 2013, a panel consisting of five leading experts on EMFs and children’s health gathered to give their safety recommendations (you can listen to the recording of the panel here). They urged that children should not use cell phones except in emergencies and should not play with radiating phones – even if the phone is on airplane mode, the battery is still emitting magnetic fields. Pregnant women and couples wishing to conceive should also exercise more extreme caution and should strictly follow the previous tips in this post.

    Here is an index of nearly 40 scientific studies looking at the health risks of pregnancy and EMF’s. If you’re pregnant, or know someone who is, please take a moment to consider the seriousness of this issue.   

    Some mother’s choose to invest in clothes that will shield the baby from this radiation exposure. Belly Armor is a company that makes blankets, women’s clothing, men’s clothing, baby gear, and other items that you can wear or use in your home to block EMF’s from the environment.  There are many other companies offering similar solutions. 

    It is well worth your time to do a little research on these products and change habits. The health of your child is worth it!

    Learn more about cell phone radiation and ways to reduce exposure contact Cathy Cooke of wholehomeandbodyhealth.com 

    Cathy participated in the Natural Health Symposium in Boise July 21, 2018. She has been working as an Integrative Health Coach since 2014 and is a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist with the National Association of Nutritional Professionals.  Recognizing that many of her clients were ‘doing everything right’ yet still suffering from health issues, she realized that many home and work environments were contributing to illness.  

    Seeing dramatic improvements in her own health after limiting radio frequency exposure from wifi and cell phones, she received training from the International Institute of Building Biology and Ecology, affording her the expertise to evaluate all areas in a persons life that may be contributing to illness. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Cathy now lives in Boise, Idaho. 

    Learn more about wifi, EMF and cell phone radiation exposure contact Cathy at  9704855092 or by email  cathy@wholehomeandbodyhealth.com

    Selected Resources:

    1. Fetal Radiofrequency Radiation Exposure from 800-1900 mhz-rated Cellular Telephones Affects Neurodevelopment and Behavior in Mice. Aldad, et al. Science Reports 2:312 (2012).

    2. Autism-relevant social abnormalities in mice exposed perinatally to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields. Alsaeed, et al. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience 37:58-6 (2014).

    3. Influence of pregnancy stage and fetus position on the whole-body and local exposure of the fetus to RF-EMF. Varsier, et al. Physics in Medicine and Biology 59(17):4913-26 (2014).

    4. Dosimetric study of fetal exposure to uniform magnetic fields at 50 Hz. Liorni et al. Bioelectromagnetics 35(8):580-97 (2014).

    5. State of the reproductive system in male rats of 1st generation obtained from irradiated parents and exposed to electromagnetic radiation (897 MHz) during embryogenesis and postnatal development.  Radiats Biol Radioecol 54(2):186-92 (2014).

    6. Oxidative mechanisms of biological activity of low-intensity radiofrequency radiation. Yakymenko, et al. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine 34(3):1-16 (2015).

    7. The effect of exposure of rats during prenatal period to radiation spreading from mobile phones on renal development. Bedir, et al. Renal Failure 37(2):305-9 (2015).

    There are a number of things you can do to help minimize your EMF exposure while you’re pregnant (and all the time).  The ‘Safe Baby Project‘ (https://www.babysafeproject.org/) has some good information for a basic place to start.  See their ‘5 Easy Ways to Reduce Exposure’ list.

  • Aluminum in Vaccines: Fetal Exposure

    Pregnant women are being told that they are being given vaccines to protect the baby in language that implies, if not outright states, that appropriate safety studies have been done. They have not. Pregnant women in the general population are in essence being used in ongoing clinical trials without their fully informed consent.

    Over the years, data has been gathered in a haphazard fashion using voluntary registries set up by pharmaceutical companies and in adverse event reports to VAERS, both of which suffer from extreme under-reporting. VSD (Vaccine Safety Datalink) studies on the safety of vaccination during pregnancy mostly include only pregnancies with live-birth outcomes, and very few studies look at the long-term health effects on children. One such rare study on vaccination with the influenza vaccine during pregnancy (Zerbo et al) found a significant association with autism. Even the most elaborate and inappropriate application of adjustments and corrections could not make the association go away in the first trimester, so the authors simply dismissed the result as due to chance. This is not science. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2617988

    The impact of maternal immune activation during pregnancy, and the impact of exposure to various vaccine components, such as the placenta-crossing 250 mcg of aluminum in the Tdap, on long-term neurological development are not known, but there’s enough science indicating that extreme caution is warranted. The current push to vaccinate during every single pregnancy, as well as during every outbreak, comes without any understanding of the health effect of such frequent administration of three disease antigens (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) and other vaccine components. This is a small sampling of studies on one component, aluminum:

  • FLU SHOT NOT when pregnant. 4250% INCREASE in FETAL DEATH after flu shot

    FLU SHOT NOT when pregnant. 4250% INCREASE in FETAL DEATH after flu shot

    You would probably think that since the CDC states the annual flu vaccine is the “best” way to avoid catching the seasonal flu, that it has been proven to be effective. Review the chart using CDC’s OWN NUMBERS the flu shot has NEVER been very effective.

    In fact, it is hard to find ANY valid scientific evidence to support flu vaccine effectiveness or safety — and this is particularly true for key target groups for which the CDC says the flu shot is most important, like seniors, children and pregnant women!

    One Flu VACCINE INSERT READS CLEARLY :
    “There have been no controlled trials adequately demonstrating a decrease in influenza disease after vaccination with Flulaval.”     

     ALL Flu Vaccine manufacture’s package insert warnings which read as follows:
    “no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. …this vaccine should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed”
    section 8.1 in the following influenza vaccine inserts listed on the left 

    Pregnant mother and her unborn child become part of the HUMAN EXPERIMENT with the FluLaval Quadrivalent vaccine.
    *When you get a FluLaval Quadrivalent vaccine you and your unborn child become part of the experiment. Rather than complete safety research in advance, GlaxoSmithKline maintains a surveillance registry to collect data on pregnancy outcomes and newborn health status outcomes following vaccination with FLULAVAL QUADRIVALENT during pregnancy.
    (See Page 12 of the Manufacture Insert)

    If you’re pregnant, beware of doctors using aggressive fear tactics pushing you to get vaccinated. Here’s why…
    On September 27, 2012, the Human and Environmental Toxicology Journal (HET) published a study by Dr. Gary Goldman reporting a 4,250 percent increase in the number of miscarriages and stillbirths reported to VAERS in the 2009/2010 flu season. That year the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had recommended the double-dosing pregnant mothers with two flu shots spiked with mercury. In his abstract, Goldman said:“The aim of this study was to compare the number of inactivated-influenza vaccine–related spontaneous abortion and stillbirth (SB) reports in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database during three consecutive flu seasons beginning 2008/2009 and assess the relative fetal death reports associated with the two-vaccine 2009/2010 season.” [source:http://vactruth.com/2012/11/23/flu-shot-spikes-fetal-death/

    This is what PREGNANT WOMEN need to know about the mercury in flu vaccines:
    • Mercury is a neurotoxin that rapidly crosses the placenta and accumulates in the fetus at even higher levels than the mother. Mercury is known to be highly toxic to brain tissue and can impact critical stages of brain development during pregnancy.
    • Scientific studies have documented that the mercury used in vaccines enters into the brain and rapidly converts to a form of mercury that is difficult to detoxify and capable of interrupting critical stages of brain development.
    • Thimerosal-containing flu vaccines contain 250 times the mercury level the EPA uses to classify hazardous waste. Unused thimerosal-containing flu vaccine with mercury should be returned to the manufacturer for appropriate disposal as hazardous waste.
    • The dangers of the flu to pregnant women and the benefits of flu vaccination may both be exaggerated since many of the studies are conducted or funded by vaccine manufacturers. One of the largest scientific studies to date, of approximately 50,000 pregnant women over five flu seasons, found no difference in the risk for developing influenza illness among those who received the influenza vaccine during pregnancy and those who did not.
    • According to flu vaccine package inserts, “Safety and effectiveness has not been established in pregnant women or nursing mothers and should only be given to a pregnant woman if “clearly needed.”