BERKELEY, Calif. (KCBS) -- A new UC Berkeley study has found a possible link between household chemicals and reduced fertility.
A common flame-retardant found in many homes contains polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDE’s.
UC Berkeley epidemiologist Kim Harley studied 223 pregnant women in the Salinas Valley and found that women with higher levels of PBDE’s took significantly longer to become pregnant than women with lower levels.
KCBS’ Dave Padilla Reports
"What we've seen is that PBDE's appear to mimic hormones and that they can affect ovarian structure in rat studies," Harley said. "And, they also seem to affect thyroid hormone levels in rat studies. And thyroid hormone is also associated with fertility."
Harley said PBDE's are known to leach out and accumulate in human fat cells.
"A nationally representative survey found that 97 percent of Americans have measurable levels of PBDE's in their blood. But of course, there's a wide range. Some people have low levels and some people have high levels," Harley said.
Overall, PBDE levels in Americans are 20 times higher than in our European counterparts.
Harley said researchers will now focus on children born to the mothers in the study to see if there are any neurological effects on these children.
(kmi)
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