Food Packaging 'Fertility Risk'

[Nostalgia]

Women's fertility may be at risk from chemicals widely used in food packaging, pesticides and clothing, it is claimed.

A new study suggests a link between the levels of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in women's blood and the length of time it takes them to conceive.

Women who needed infertility treatment or took longer than 12 months to conceive were found to have higher levels of the chemicals in their blood than those who conceived in under six months.

Scientists measured the levels of two of the most common PFCs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), in 1,240 Danish women.

Their research, conducted at the University of California in Los Angeles, also found a link between women with the highest levels of PFOA and infertility.

Dr Chunyuan Fei, an author on the study, said: "These chemicals may have a variety of toxic effects on the liver, immune system and developmental and reproductive organs."

The authors also suggest the chemicals may have an effect on a man's sperm quality and could affect his ability to conceive, "since the couples may share similar aspects of lifestyle and around 99% of subjects... had a spouse or partner".

But the researchers said no conclusions could be drawn from the study on how the chemicals may affect women who fail to get pregnant at all.

PFOA is widely used in manufacturing and industry, including the production of non-stick cookware, heat-resistant materials and those used in waterproof clothing.

PFOS is used to treat surfaces and upholstery, some insecticides and fire extinguisher foams, although its use has been steadily falling since the late 1990s.

Professor Alan Boobis, a toxicologist at Imperial College London, said: "The study adds to the information available on the possible consequences of human exposure to PFCs.

"However, the relevance to human health needs to be considered within the context of all other available information.

"Only then will it be possible to determine whether and what action might be necessary."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090129/...k-3fd0ae9.html