The CHAMACOS study recruited pregnant women living in the farm-working, primarily Latino communities of Central California's Salinas Valley between 1999 and 2000.Researchers from the University of California (UC) Berkeley in the US found that daughters of mothers who had higher levels of diethyl phthalate and triclosan in their bodies during pregnancy experienced puberty at younger ages.
The team measured concentrations of phthalates, parabens and phenols in urine samples taken from mothers twice during pregnancy, and from children at the age of 9.Chemicals that have been implicated include Silicone Rubber O-Rings Suppliers phthalates, which are often found in scented products like perfumes, soaps and shampoos.The results, published in the journal Human Reproduction, came from data collected as part of the US Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, which followed 338 children from before birth to adolescence..
Researchers suspect that many chemicals in personal care products can interfere with natural hormones in our bodies, and studies have shown that exposure to these chemicals can alter reproductive development in rats. Girls who had higher concentrations of parabens in their urine at age nine also experienced puberty at younger ages Girls exposed to chemicals commonly found in toothpaste, makeup, soap and other personal care products before birth may hit puberty earlier, according to a study published Tuesday."We know that some of the things we put on our bodies are getting into our bodies, either because they pass through the skin or we breathe them in or we inadvertently ingest them," said Kim Harley, an associate adjunct professor at UC Berkeley