Substances in body care products that women use during pregnancy, can affect a study found that the onset of Puberty of their children. A long-term study found such a connection in particular between the substances diethyl phthalate, and Triclosan, and several months earlier the Onset of puberty in girls. This is a group to Kim Harley of the University of California in Berkeley in the journal “Human Reproduction” reported.

Hormonal Substances

Puberty begins earlier and earlier – these everyday objects could play a role

“This is important, because we know that puberty in girls starts a few decades earlier and earlier”, said the Epidemiologist, in a communication to the magazine. An earlier Onset of puberty increase in girls is not only the vulnerability to mental health problems, but also the long-term risk for breast and ovarian cancer, emphasizing Harley, with reference to previous studies.

The current results are based on a study started in 1999, and the consequences of pesticides for Pregnant women and their offspring were examined, especially to work in agriculture. In addition, the researchers examined the long-term effect of phthalates, parabens and phenols. These are suspected to influence the hormonal system especially of women.

Puberty and up to half a year earlier

Overall, the researchers of every pregnant woman, took samples of two urine. Of the 338 children was analyzed at the age of nine years, a urine sample. In the following four years, the researchers looked at all children with a standard test on the Onset of puberty.

The results Included the mothers a lot of mono-ethyl phthalate, a Precursor of diethyl phthalate, began to write to the pubic hair development of their daughters, about six months earlier, as the researchers. A high concentration of Triclosan in the urine of the mother was associated, therefore, with less than five months earlier the first Menstruation.

Relationships, the scientists also found between the exposure of children and the Onset of puberty: Thus, high levels of Methylparaben were associated in the urine of the girl with an earlier development of the mammary glands, and an early first Menstruation. The same was true for propyl paraben and the development of pubic hair. At high values of these substances, the developments began about four to seven months earlier. In boys, the researchers found a significant connection only for Propylparaben: A high concentration of the substance was associated with an earlier maturation of the sex organs.

The President of the German society for endocrinology, Josef Köhrle, sees in the study a confirmation of previous findings from experiments on mice and rats. “Note the references to the possible role of individual substances even in low concentrations, the influence of puberty, however,” says the physician of the Charité hospital in Berlin. As a rule, several substances are caused together in mixtures such effects.

It is also important to note that the surveyed mothers came from low-income strata of the population and therefore hardly on better body care products were able to Dodge, containing less additives. Generally speaking, Köhrle also wants more public attention for substances that do not affect sex hormones, but thyroid and stress hormones or fat metabolism interact.

The phenols scoring Triclosan as well as parabens are used in cosmetics and personal care products as a means to prevent microorganisms and as a preservative. Diethyl phthalate is fixed, however, fragrances.