Exposure to Fire Retardants During Pregnancy Linked to Hyperactivity and Lower IQ in Children

While fire retardant chemicals were created to protect children, certain ones found in every day items like baby strollers, carpets and electronics have been linked to development delays and behavioral problems when pregnant women are exposed to them.

According to CBS News, a recent study presented on May 6 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, D.C. found that prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) - chemicals used to lower the risk of fires in household objects - are associated with risks of lower intelligence and hyperactivity in early childhood. Expecting mothers who are exposed to PBDEs may be unknowingly putting their babies at risk.

Because of its known health risks, PBDEs have mostly been unused in items for sale in the U.S. since 2004, yet they may still exist in older products or even continue to exist in the tissue of people who have been exposed to the chemical. 

In the study, PBDE levels were observed in the blood samples from 309 pregnant women, and their children were then documented until five ears of age through intelligence and behavior tests, though the childrens' blood was not tested for PBDE.

Researchers concluded that "prenatal exposure to the chemicals was associated to lower cognitive abilities at 5 and increased hyperactivity from 2 to 5 years old. Each 10-fold increase in maternal exposure to PBDEs was linked to a four-point decrease in IQ scores."

In a press release, lead author Aimin Chen, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health at University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, explained that "while four points might not seem like much in an individual, if an entire population experiences this decrease, it can have a big impact on their social interactions and overall economic stability."

Chen said replacing old items and more frequent hand-washing more often may reduce the risk of exposure to these brominated flame retardant chemicals, in addition to replacing carpet padding or polyurethane foams that may contain PDBEs.