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Protect Yourself & Your Baby

Common chemicals to avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Reprinted from Dr. Robert Greene's Perfect Hormone Balance for Pregnancy, by Robert A. Greene, M.D. Copyright © April 2007. Published by Three Rivers Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

The following BioMutagens are chemicals thought to be a risk to a pregnancy or a fetus' development. Not all experts agree on the mode of action, the dose-toxicity relationship and the health effects of BioMutagens, but whenever scientific uncertainty exists, the common-sense approach is one of caution. You can minimize or avoid exposure to BioMutagens by making careful choices about your diet and lifestyle.

Sources Biomutagen What you can do
Eyedrops, artificial tears, nasal sprays Mercury Avoid using personal-care.
Hair color and bleach, facial cleansers, non-Western cosmetics (surma and kohl) Lead acetate Read labels carefully. Avoid use while pregnant.
Fragrances Phthalate Check labels of products containing fragrances.
Mascara Ethylacrylate Check ingredient labels.
Nail Polish and other nail treatments Phthalate, toluene To minimize exposure to airborne phtalates, paint only your toenails. Apply in a well-ventilated area or outside. Avoid use of products containing "dibutyl phthalate."
Deodorant, shaving cream Parabens Avoid using products with parabens, particularly on freshly shaved skin.


Sources Biomutagen What you can do
Cooking certain foods—particularly carbohydrates—to high temperatures (greater than 120° F) Acrylamide Avoid fried foods, particularly fast-food french fries and snack chips.
Teflon®, microwave popcorn bags, french fry boxes Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) Avoid using Teflon® and other nonstick pans; forgo greasy, prepackaged foods.
High-fat animal products Organochlorine pesticides (DDT, DDE, DDD, dieldrin, lindane, endosulfan, dicofol, methoxychlor and pentachlorophenol); many have been banned but several remain in use. Dioxins (from combustion, waste-burning incinerators) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Eat a diet low in animal fats, where these pollutants accumulate. Avoid foods, especially fruits and vegetables, imported from countries that allow use of these pesticides.
Contaminated water Atrazine Install a reverse osmosis water filter.
Chicken Arsenic Eat organic chicken or chicken raised without arsenic in their feed.
Microwaving food in plastics Phthalates Use containers made of polyethylene (a plasticizer-free plastic); choose microwave-safe plastic wrap or waxed paper instead.


Sources Biomutagen What you can do
Pesticides, insecticides, rodenticides Organochlorine pesticides (see "Foods and Cooking" chart for list); organophosphorous insecticides (OPs), including malathion and diazinon Read labels carefully. Avoid contact while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Flame retardants, fabric and carpet protectors, stain-proof clothing Perfluorinated chemicals (chiefly PFOs and PFOA) Read labels carefully. Avoid use while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Soft plastics, paint, solvents Phthalate Avoid plastics with recycling code "3" on bottom and also polyvinyl chloride plastics. Choose polyethylene and polypropylene instead. Use solvent-free paint derived from plants or minerals.
Flame retardant in furniture foam padding, carpet padding and electronics Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) Purchase products from manufacturers that use alternatives to PBDEs.
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