Your Sofa Could Be Affecting Your Fertility

Sometimes you try to avoid one fire and start another. Many of the substances used by industry to prevent materials from burning and starting fires end up in the environment and consequently in our bodies. Now a study reveals that a specific type of retardant, organophosphate flame retardants, could increase the difficulty of conceiving and carrying a pregnancy to term.

Flame retardants … and pregnancy

The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives , was carried out by researchers at Harvard University in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital. The researchers focused on organophosphate flame retardants as one of the most widely used in recent years by the industry.

To verify the relationship between fertility and exposure to these substances, the levels of three organophosphate retardants were measured in the urine of 211 women who underwent IVF treatments between 2005 and 2015.

The three retardants analyzed were TDCIPP (tris chlorate), TPHP (triphenyl phosphate) and mono-ITP. In 8 out of 10 women metabolites of some of these substances were detected and those with higher levels obtained worse results in the treatments.

Specifically, women with high levels of organophosphate flame retardants had a 10% lower fertilization rate, a 31% reduction in implantation rate, and a 38% lower probability of successfully carrying the pregnancy to term. The study did not measure men’s exposure to flame retardants, which might also play a role.

“These results suggest that exposure to organophosphate flame retardants is one of many risk factors that would lead to low fertility,” says Courtney Carignan, an environmental epidemiologist with an expert on endocrine disruptors who was part of the team responsible for the study. “They also add to all the previous scientific literature that points to the need to reduce the use of these flame retardants and look for safer alternatives.”

What are flame retardants?

Flame retardants are chemicals that are applied to fabrics and materials to prevent them from catching fire or spreading rapidly and causing burns or a fire.

They are often applied under fire and safety regulations, but some voices have questioned their effectiveness and the need to apply them. In addition, it is warned that the main danger of a fire is not so much the flames as the inhalation of toxic fumes, which these chemical flame retardants contribute to create.

The industry began to widely use this type of substances from the seventies of the last century, especially with the development and greater use of easily flammable synthetic materials in all types of consumer articles.

There are many types. Some of the most commonly used until recently, such as some PBDE polybrominated retardants, were withdrawn in many countries barely a decade ago, but they persist in the environment. Different studies pointed out their harmful effects on the environment and human health and showed that they are dangerous endocrine disruptors. Other no less dangerous retardants are still on the market.

The polybrominated retardants that were withdrawn were replaced by others a priori considered less harmful. In fact, organophosphate retardants, which were already in use, became the main alternative and their use skyrocketed.

The suspicions that these could also have a disruptive effect on the hormonal system, as had been observed in some studies with animals, now seem to be confirmed in humans with the study that associates their exposure to greater difficulty in conceiving.

Many sources of exposure

Flame retardants are incorporated into many everyday materials, mainly polyurethane foam or foam rubber fillings such as those used in seats and other upholstered furniture, vehicle interiors, gym mats and baby items.

It is also widely used in the plastic casings of electronic devices such as televisions, computers and mobile phones, among others. Flame retardants can be found in mattresses, carpets, curtains and clothing, in building materials, electrical cables, and airplane cabins.

However, the most worrying thing is that these substances are easily released from the materials they impregnate, so they pass in large amounts into the air we breathe, crops and water. They also accumulate in the dust of homes, offices and other spaces.

This is especially worrisome in the case of children. Their small bodies are not only more vulnerable but, in general, by being more in contact with the ground and putting their hands to their mouths, they are more exposed. Higher levels of flame retardants have been found in children than in adults.

A serious environmental problem

Flame retardants can also enter the environment during manufacturing processes. They are considered persistent pollutants in the environment and can pass into water and food, another major source of exposure.

In 2014, for example, classic flame retardants were found in the eggs of 14 different bird species in the Doñana Natural Park and surrounding areas. These were very common flame retardants, some already withdrawn from the market and others used later to replace them. The same year another study confirmed the presence of brominated flame retardants in honey samples from different countries, including Spain.

Organophosphates are not far behind. Despite having started to be used in relatively recent times, exposure levels have skyrocketed and have even risen above those reached with PBDEs and which caused so much alarm. In February 2017, a Swedish study detected its presence in 12 different food categories, with cereals leading the way.

Like other persistent pollutants, flame retardants are bioaccumulative. That is, when ingested or inhaled, they accumulate in the body of people and animals without being able to eliminate them easily.

It therefore seems no accident that researchers at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital found traces of these flame retardants in 80% of the women who participated in the fertility study.

How to reduce exposure to flame retardants

These pollutants are spread mainly by detaching themselves from the materials to which they are applied, either by volatilization when the material is overheated, by abrasion or directly by contact with the dust that settles on them. The dust that settles on the television can trap particles that later fall to the floor of the house or are suspended in the air we breathe.

Although the solution must go through the industry, there are measures we can take to reduce the presence of these substances in our environment and minimize our exposure:

• Choose preferably furniture without foam rubber or polyurethane fillings. Opting for natural materials like wicker, wood, or metal reduces the likelihood that they contain flame retardants. The same is true if you choose natural fabrics and fillings, such as cotton or wool, rather than synthetics.
• Keep dust under control at home. Wipe with a damp cloth or mop and vacuum up the dust with a high-efficiency filter (HEPA). Make sure to ventilate well as well.
• Wash your hands frequently, especially before eating. Wash them for children too. When they touch the ground more and put their hands to their mouth they are more exposed.