Plastics, dyes and pigments, rubber products, some pesticides, tobacco smoke, diesel exhaust and even meats cooked at high temperatures… The effects of some chemical substances encountered at different points of daily life during pregnancy are closely monitored by the scientific world. New research published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology also added remarkable data to this discussion. In the study, some chemicals defined as “aromatic amines” and cotinine levels, which is one of the indicators of nicotine exposure, were examined.
SPECIAL TEST WAS DONE
A total of 250 mother-infant pairs followed in two separate birth cohorts in the USA were included in the study. Levels of different chemicals were measured in urine samples taken from mothers in the second trimester of pregnancy. Babies were subjected to special visual tests when they were approximately 7.5 months old. Using infrared eye tracking technology, scientists evaluated how long babies looked at images on the screen, how they reacted to new and previously seen images, and how long it took them to get used to a visual.
THE BREAK-IN TIME IS LONGER
The most striking result of the research was that the babies of mothers who were exposed to higher levels of some aromatic amines took longer to “get used to” an image. In particular, high levels of total aromatic amines and some specific compounds were associated with a delay in babies’ habituation to visual stimuli. Researchers evaluated this result as an indicator that visual attention performance may be weaker in the early period. The most striking aspect of the study is that the substances in question are not chemicals only encountered in heavy industrial environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WARNING
According to scientists, a single study is not enough to establish a direct cause-effect relationship. However, the findings indicate that environmental chemicals, as well as genetics and nutrition, may play a role in development in the womb. Experts; He states that you can also be exposed to aromatic amines used in the production of paint, plastic, rubber, some pesticides and medicines through diesel exhaust, cigarette smoke and meat cooked at high temperatures. Previous research reveals that these substances can cross the placenta during pregnancy.
