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Proximity to Pesticide Use and Risk of Birth Defects, Fetal Death – (03-08-01)

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Proximity to Pesticide Use and Risk of Birth Defects, Fetal Death

Not only do we have to pay attention to the things we knowingly put into our bodies in order to stay healthy, but we also have to be aware of other sources of toxins from the environment: polluted city water, air pollution, pesticides from home use as well as from nearby agricultural use. The scary thing about this study is that the most dangerous time for exposure to the developing fetus is 3 to 8 weeks–many times this is before a woman even knows she is pregnant.

Epidemiology. 2001:12(2):148 The study, which involved almost 700 women in 10 California counties, showed an increased risk of death among developing fetuses, ranging from 40% to 120% among those whose mothers lived near crops where certain pesticides were sprayed. A report on the study will appear in the March issue of Epidemiology. “Our study showed a consistent pattern with respect to timing of exposure,” said Dr. Erin M. Bell, who earned her doctorate with the research at the UNC School of Public Health, and is now an epidemiologist with the National Cancer Institute. “The largest risks for fetal death due to birth defects were from pesticide exposure during the third week to the eighth week of pregnancy.”That span — much of the first trimester — appears to be a special window of vulnerability for birth defects, Bell said, as earlier research has suggested.”The risks appeared to be strongest among pregnant women who lived in the same square mile where pesticides were used,” she said.

BRCA GENE ORDER PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE – (06-20-05)

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Increased Rates of Chromosome Breakage in BRCA1 Carriers Are Normalized by Oral Selenium Supplementation

I know that I have had at least one patient come through my office that had prophalactic bilateral mastectomy because she carried the BRCA gene.  I think few things demonstrate the influence that environment has on our genes than this situation.  We have also seen that tamoxifen use attenuates the increased risk found in patients with the BRCA1 and 2 genotypes and now we may be able to add selenium to the list.

Read entire article here

How to Avoid Brain Damage in the Womb in 5 Easy Steps

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We used to think that the placenta guards the developing baby and filters out everything but the needed nutrients for strong development in the womb.  This thought process was smashed with the 10 Americans Study done by the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org).

This study measured the presence of chemicals in umbilical cord samples of newborns and found literally hundreds of chemicals that the newborns had been exposed to in the imagined safety of the womb.  Many of these chemicals are well known to cause neurological damage, reproductive damage and cancer.

Chlorpyrifos is a pesticide that used to be in very heavy use in both agriculture and home use until January of 2002, when the amount in products for home use was restricted, but agricultural use continued.  As a result, most of us, when tested, have levels of chlorpyrifos in our bloodstream.  In other words, it is a chemical still widely used and you are very likely to have it in your bloodstream.

This would be all fine and dandy if it was glucosinolates from brocolli we were talking about.  But it’s not.  Chlorpyrifos has been linked to many health concerns, the most recent of which, in this particular study, to brain damage in children who were heavily exposed in the womb.  Pretty scary for any couple looking to get pregnant.

So what can you do to lower your developing baby’s exposure to harmful chemicals while in the womb (and after)?  Follow these tips:

  1. Switch to organic fruits and vegetables, particularly those on EWG’s Dirty Dozen list
  2. Avoid all pain medications, even over the counter Tylenol
  3. Supplement with at least 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily
  4. Avoid rapidly grilled meat
  5. Supplement with probiotics during both pregnancy and nursing
  6. Avoid drinking out of plastic water bottles
  7. Do NOT spray your house for bugs or weeds beginning for several months prior to getting pregnant

Overall, the task may initially seem daunting given the high levels of chemicals in our environment.  However, with some education and conscientious decisions about the exposures and dietary choices, there should be little cause for concern.

What did you, are are you going to, give up for your pregnancy?