Phthalates and autistic traits
Nikat © Creative Commons
Phthalates are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC), commonly found in piping.
A recent study has found an association between young boys who were exposed in the womb to certain phthalates were more likely to have traits of autism at ages 3 and 4. Researchers enrolled 2,001 women >18 years during their first trimester and collected urine samples to test for 11 phthalate metabolites. Six-hundred-and-ten children completed assessments from the Social Responsive Scale-II. Higher gestational concentrations of two phthalate metabolites were associated with higher scores of autistic traits in boys, but not girls. Women who had taken recommended doses of supplementary folic acid during their first trimester were less likely to have boys who later exhibited autism traits.
Modified on March 31, 2021