New PROTECT Paper Finds that Common Chemicals in Popular Consumer Products Can Impact Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
A new paper led by Project 1 researcher Julia Varshavsky found that higher levels of phenols and parabens exposure during pregnancy may impact maternal blood pressure and increase the risk of people developing hypertension during pregnancy.
Phenols and parabens are two classes of chemicals commonly used in consumer and personal care products, including sunscreens, canned food lining, makeup, and hard, clear plastics. Parabens alone are used in approximately 80% of personal care products. The widespread use of both chemical classes has led to detection frequencies for multiple compounds in people in the US to be greater than 90%. Though the chemicals are widely used, past research has shown that both phenols and parabens are associated with reproductive and developmental harm, pregnancy complications like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, and adverse birth outcomes.
In this study, researchers set out to investigate the effect of phenols and parabens, both individually and in mixtures, on maternal blood pressure levels and hypertension during pregnancy. To do so, they statistically examined and compared phenol and paraben levels with blood pressure outcomes at 16-20 weeks gestation and 24-28 weeks gestation for 1,433 participants from the PROTECT cohort.
In their analysis, researchers observed a consistent pattern that exposure to phenols and parabens, individually and in mixtures, led to a higher chance a mother could develop hypertension during pregnancy. The increased risk of developing hypertension was especially noticeable later in pregnancies. Researchers also saw that phenol and paraben exposure impacted blood pressure measures in general, with several chemicals being associated with increases in blood pressure.
Analysis results
Developing hypertension during pregnancy can put pregnant people at risk for complications like early labor, preeclampsia, and diabetes. Those who develop hypertension during pregnancy also have a higher risk of developing it after pregnancy, which can be damaging to their cardiovascular health and increase their risk of developing issues like heart disease and diabetes. Maternal blood pressure during pregnancy in general is critical to long-term maternal and child health, making it important that researchers work to understand what can impact it. As more research is done in this area, consumers can make more informed decisions and push for safer alternatives in popular products. Future research can build on the findings from this study to better understand the relationship between phenol and paraben exposure, maternal blood pressure, and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes as well as the mechanisms behind the relationship.