Chemicals commonly used in perfumes, toiletries, plastics and packaging may be linked to higher blood pressure during pregnancy, according to a study.
Pregnant women with the highest level of phthalates in their blood, which are a group of synthetic chemicals commonly mixed into plastics to make them softer, had the highest blood pressure readings.
Past studies have linked phthalates to reduced sperm count, reproductive issues and fertility complications.
US researchers followed 338 pregnant women, measuring chemical levels in urine and blood pressure at 11, 19 and 26 weeks into pregnancy – and 13 per cent developed a pregnancy-related high blood pressure disorder.
The study,
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