Chemicals.. The Silent Enemy of Women and the Fetus
Written by / Ahmed Abdel Halim
Chemicals have become an integral part of our daily lives, whether in the environment around us or in the products we use, and with the increasing reliance on them in industry and agriculture, concerns have increased about their negative impact on our health, especially on women’s health, as scientific studies indicate that continuous exposure to these harmful substances may increase the risk of chronic diseases and birth defects, which threatens the health of mothers and future generations.
What is the effect of chemicals on women before and after marriage and during pregnancy, and is there an effect on the fetus during pregnancy, and what is their effect on the newborn after birth, and what are the most prominent chemicals that women are exposed to, and what are the sources of these substances?, and how do chemicals affect women’s health, and what are the potential health consequences of this, and what advice can be given to women to reduce this risk, and what are the preventive measures that women can take to protect themselves from the effects of chemicals, and what are the most prominent challenges, and what are the future directions for research on the effect of chemicals on women’s health.
In this episode, we will answer these questions in detail and explain the impact of harmful chemicals on women, starting from their lives before and after marriage, focusing on the risks they are exposed to during pregnancy and their impact on the fetus and after the birth of the newborn, and the most prominent challenges with a presentation of ways to prevent them.
With regard to the impact of chemicals on women before marriage, we find that many women are exposed to risks from chemicals before marriage, whether through exposure to pesticides or foods, or through the use of cosmetics and personal skin care products that contain harmful chemicals. These substances may affect female hormones and increase the risk of disease; they may lead to irregular menstrual cycles or increased blood flow, and they can negatively affect the quality of eggs and reduce the chances of pregnancy, in addition to increasing the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
While the effect of chemicals on women working in factories, we note that some women working in factories and industrial companies who are exposed to a wide range of harmful chemicals, have an increased risk of respiratory diseases, skin diseases, and diseases of the nervous system, and chemicals may affect fertility and increase the risk of miscarriage for pregnant women. As for the effect of chemicals on women after marriage and during pregnancy: A woman’s sensitivity to chemicals may increase during pregnancy, as the fetus grows and develops in her womb, and is particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of chemicals, and these harmful substances that the pregnant mother is exposed to lead to birth defects in the various organs of the fetus, such as the heart and brain, and exposure to chemicals may lead to a decrease in the weight of the fetus after birth, which increases the risk of health problems in the future, and some chemicals negatively affect the development of the nervous system of the fetus, which leads to problems in learning and behavior, and exposure to chemicals during pregnancy may increase the risk of the newborn developing chronic diseases in the future, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. There is also a negative impact of chemicals on the newborn, as the effect of chemicals on the newborn may continue, as some chemicals are transmitted from the mother to the newborn through breast milk during breastfeeding, and these harmful substances may lead to problems in the newborn’s immune system, making it more susceptible to diseases, and thus suffer from problems in behavior, attention and concentration, in addition to problems in growth, as some chemicals may lead to delayed physical and mental growth of this newborn. The main challenges in dealing with the problem of the effect of chemicals on women and the fetus are: First: the difficulty of identifying risks, as it may be difficult to identify the exact risks caused by each chemical individually, as the effect depends on the type of chemical, the dose, the duration of exposure, and the health condition of the mother. Second: lack of awareness, as there is still a lack of awareness among many women about the risks of chemicals and their impact on their health and the health of their newborns. Third: the difficulty of avoiding chemicals; it is completely difficult to avoid exposure to chemicals in modern life, as they are found almost everywhere. Hence, a question arises: What are the most dangerous chemicals for pregnant women? Pregnancy is certainly a critical period that requires pregnant women to take all precautions to maintain their health and the health of their fetus, and avoid exposure to harmful chemicals that negatively affect the health of pregnant women. The most prominent of these harmful substances are: Lead: It is a source of pollution; It is found in old paints, polluted water, and some seafood. In terms of health effects, lead may affect the central nervous system of the fetus and may cause delayed mental and physical development. Mercury should also be avoided, as it is a source of pollution and is found in large fish such as tuna and sharks, some types of rice, and some dental amalgam filling materials. In terms of health effects; Mercury exposure may be associated with problems in the fetus’ central nervous system, delayed growth, and birth defects. Exposure to pesticides should also be avoided, as they are also a source of pollution. They are found in unwashed fruits and vegetables, and household pesticides. In terms of health effects, pesticides may increase the risk of birth defects, low birth weight, and nervous system problems. Phthalates should also be avoided, as they are a source of pollution and are additives in plastics and cosmetics.
Inclination, perfumes, and health effects, phthalates may be linked to problems in the male reproductive system in male fetuses, delayed growth, and problems in the immune system, in addition to avoiding benzene: it is a source of pollution, and is found in cigarette smoke, gasoline fumes, and some adhesives, and among its health effects, benzene may increase the risk of blood problems, birth defects, and leukemia, in addition to avoiding polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); it is a source of pollution, and is found in contaminated fish, old paints, and some electronic devices, and among its health effects, it may be linked to problems in the immune system, delayed growth, and increased risk of cancer. On the other hand, there are sources to which women are exposed to chemicals, which requires limiting them. Women may be exposed to many chemicals in their daily lives, whether at home or at work. We find that some of them are at home, so a healthy diet must be followed, by eating foods rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking enough water, in addition to getting enough rest by sleeping to help the body get rid of toxins, as well as exercising regularly, as exercise helps strengthen the immune system and improve the body’s ability to get rid of toxins. Fruits and vegetables must also be washed well to get rid of toxic pesticide residues, and the house must be ventilated regularly to get rid of harmful fumes, especially when using household cleaners, in addition to choosing fish carefully, and avoiding large fish that contain a high percentage of mercury, as well as replacing household cleaners and cosmetics with natural products free of harmful chemicals, with the use of cleaning materials made from vinegar and sodium bicarbonate, and choosing organic cosmetics free of toxic chemicals and with high concentrations, and most importantly Ventilate the house well by opening the windows regularly to renew the air and reduce the concentration of volatile chemicals in the house, while avoiding the use of old adhesives and paints that contain harmful chemicals in the house, and also avoiding the use of pesticides; by using natural methods to combat insects such as traps and essential oils, and darkening the place to keep insects out of the house, while consulting a pest control specialist to obtain safe solutions, and fruits and vegetables should be washed well with soap and water before eating them to get rid of pesticide residues, as well as paying attention to the cleanliness and washing of kitchen utensils well with hot water to get rid of chemical residues with liquid soap, and avoiding the use of single-use plastic utensils. In this case, some important steps must be followed to reduce these risks, including carefully reading the labels of food products used, cosmetics and detergents to identify their ingredients, as well as consulting a doctor about any concerns related to exposure to chemicals, and always looking for natural products to reduce harmful health effects, and a periodic medical examination should be followed; Pregnant women should undergo periodic medical examinations to ensure their health and the health of the fetus during pregnancy. They should also avoid using unknown products, such as cosmetics and household cleaners, as some of them are manufactured in an unhealthy manner and in unlicensed places in Bir al-Sallam factories, which makes them contain high levels of harmful chemicals. As for the exposure of working women to chemicals in the workplace, safety procedures must be adhered to by staying away from sources of pollution, such as factories and gas stations, wearing protective clothing and masks when dealing with chemicals, and washing hands well with soap and water after dealing with chemicals. Any leakage or accident related to chemicals must be reported immediately. The risks of chemicals must be identified by reading the safety regulations for the chemicals you work with, and attending training courses on occupational safety and health. If the working woman is pregnant, she must stay away from sources of pollution and polluted places such as factories and gas stations, in addition to not smoking or being exposed to cigarette smoke. In this regard, the role of the government, represented by the relevant ministries, comes; This is done by tightening control over the safety and validity of products, to ensure that they do not contain harmful chemicals that have been proven in laboratory studies to be harmful, carcinogenic, and mutagenic and accumulate in the body for long periods and the body cannot get rid of them, such as (heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and other environmental pollutants), in addition to providing safe alternatives. Safe alternatives to harmful chemicals in agriculture and industry must be developed and provided. It is worth noting an overview of some current research trends and the latest research on the effect of chemicals on pregnant women, as new research is constantly being conducted to deepen our understanding of the effect of chemicals on the health of pregnant women and the fetus, including the effect of chemical mixtures. Instead of studying the effect of a single chemical, modern research focuses on understanding the cumulative effects of a mixture of chemicals that pregnant women are exposed to daily, as this mixture may increase the risks more than the effect of a single substance. While we find the effect of chemicals on the genome, where research is interested in studying how chemicals interact with genes and the impact of this on the growth and development of the fetus, including increasing the risk of chronic diseases in the future.
While we come to the role of the microbiome, where researchers study the role of the microbiome (bacteria, fungi and viruses) in the body and how chemicals affect its balance, because the microbiome plays an important role in human health.
Chemicals have been found to have an effect on fertility, as some research focuses on studying the effect of chemicals on female and male fertility, and how they affect the quality of eggs and sperm.
In addition to developing new methods for detecting chemicals, new technologies are being developed to detect chemicals in the body, such as blood and urine analysis techniques, which helps to better understand exposure to harmful chemicals and their effects on health.
We would like to explain this question, why do we care about this research? Of course, for some matters, including identifying risks, as this research helps to identify health risks associated with exposure to chemicals, which helps to take preventive measures, in addition to developing health policies, as the results of this research contribute to developing health policies to protect the health of pregnant women and the fetus, in addition to developing safe products, as this research prompts some manufacturers to develop safer products that are free of harmful chemicals.
It is worth noting that chemicals are a serious threat to human health, especially to the health of women and the fetus, and all necessary measures must be taken to reduce their risks, by increasing awareness, monitoring and providing safe alternatives, so that we can protect the health of mothers and future generations. This article aims to provide general information about the effect of chemicals on women, and is not considered a substitute for consulting a doctor.
