We’ve all heard that BPA is in all sorts of containers and that it is bad for our health. A small-scale study of 244 Cincinnatic-area pregnant women found that exposure to BPA before birth could affect girls’ behavior at age 3. They measured the levels of BPA in the women’s urine, twice during their pregnancy. When the children reached 3-years-old the mothers were asked about their children’s behavior.
Preschool-aged girls whose mothers had relatively high urine levels of BPA during pregnancy scored worse but still within a normal range on behavior measures including anxiety and hyperactivity than other young girls.
The results are not conclusive and experts not involved in the study said factors other than BPA might explain the results. The researchers acknowledge that “considerable debate” remains about whether BPA is harmful, but say their findings should prompt additional research.
Most of the women had some levels of BPA in their body. However, the higher the BPA levels, the worse the behavior in their daughters. There seemed to be no behavioral difference in boys. The researchers said this could impact the girls’ ability to learn and socialize.
The FDA still claims that low-level BPA exposure is safe for people. However, there have been recent studies that claim otherwise. California recently banned BPA in sippy cups and bottles, because of potential harm to children. Many groups are calling on companies to eliminate BPA from cans and other food containers. There are even claims that high levels of BPA can cause infertility in women. Click here to find ways to avoid BPA.
Do you avoid BPA?
