Blog #7

Environmental News

Air pollution reaches the placenta during pregnancy by a pregnant woman breathing in polluted air from motor vehicles and fuel burning industries, this is known as Black Carbon (Davidson, 2019).  This was discovered in a scientific study in Belgium where donated placentas from mothers showed soot-like carbon on placentas.  The placenta is barrier to many toxins but with this study, this was not the case.  The researchers have associated air pollution and an increase in miscarriages, premature births and low birth weights.  

Blog #7 The Little Things that Matter

I liked Bruce Lanphear's video on the impact of toxins on infants' brains as they develop and potentially have a decrease in their IQ by 57% by being exposed to toxins like mercury, lead, PCBs and PBDEs, either by the ingestion or inhalation of the chemicals.  His video was dramatic on the statistics and the body burden a child holds from the environmental exposures.  He also reports that the FDA reassures the public that low levels of these neurotoxin cause no harm but he differs to the contrary.  Bruce reports that in Europe, a toxicology report must be submitted to the FDA before being released into the environment or to be used in human consumption.  He makes a few noteworthy points in ways to avoid exposure to toxins: write a letter to your state or federal representative, require industries to test products before going to market (I thought the U.S. and Canada did this already), eat fresh or frozen food, choose organic if possible, avoid canned and processed foods, in pregnant women, they should eat fish with low mercury levels, avoid pesticides around the home, check your home for lead hazards and dust floors and surfaces to help reduce exposure.  I thought it was a very good video that explained the topic clearly.  Based on this information by Bruce Lanphear, avoidance of these toxins can be incorporated into prenatal and neonatal care, as well as for the child's annual health visits.  A simple pamphlet or discussion at a prenatal visit is all it takes to get the information out.