Chemicals found in household products may affect women's fertility

Chemicals found in sofas, chairs, electronics, carpet padding and other household items have been linked to delayed fertility in women, the Los Angeles Times reported this week. The chemicals are PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, a flame retardant used for four decades that is being phased out nationwide with certain PBDEs banned outright. The chemicals are still contained in products that were made before 2004, and studies indicate that they can leach out and be transmitted in household dust. PBDEs also are found in food, particularly dairy products and higher-fat meat and fish. The paper said that the medical journal Environmental Health Perspectives studied 223 pregnant women and found those with the highest concentration of PBDEs in their blood were likely to experience a longer delay in becoming pregnant. Each 10-fold increase in blood concentration of PBDEs was linked to a 30% decrease in the likelihood of becoming pregnant each month.