Pregnant women that have high levels of a certain chemical in their body increase the risk of their unborn child having a lower IQ.
This is the first study to examine the possible harmful side effects of perchlorate in mothers and their children. For the study, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Cardiff University analyzed data from the Controlled Antenatal Thyroid Study (CATS) cohort. The study included 487 mother-child pairs. Researchers noted that the 50 women with the highest levels of perchlorate in their body gave birth to children with below average IQ levels compared to other children.
"The reason people really care about perchlorate is because it is ubiquitous. It's everywhere," said Elizabeth Pearce, associate professor of medicine at BUSM, in a press statement. "Prior studies have already shown perchlorate, at low levels, can be found in each and every one of us."
Perchlorate is a naturally occurring and manmade chemical that can affect the functioning of the thyroid gland at sufficiently high doses. Perchlorate is present in some public drinking water systems and in some foods, according to an FDA report. In one investigation by the FDA, 74 percent of all food tested contained some levels of perchlorate. The ATSDR advises to drink bottled water if your area has been reported to have perchlorate in drinking water. Other simple tasks such as washing your hands before putting them in your mouth, preventing children from eating dirt, and washing as soon as you get home if you work in a factory, are advised as measures to reduce perchlorate exposure.
Perchlorate interferes with iodide uptake into the thyroid gland. Because iodide is an essential component of thyroid hormones, perchlorate disrupts the function of the thyroid. The thyroid helps to regulate metabolism. In children, the thyroid also plays a major role in proper development. Impairment of thyroid function in expectant mothers may impact the fetus and newborn and result in effects including changes in behavior, delayed development and decreased learning capability. Changes in thyroid hormone levels may also result in thyroid gland tumors.
The study was funded by the Wellcome Trust and Compagnia de San Paulo, Turin. Findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
