Research links prenatal chemical exposure to lower child IQ

A study conducted by researchers from Inserm, the University of Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, and the University of Granada has identified a link between prenatal exposure to certain chemicals and lower IQ scores in children. The research, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, focused on 380 mother-child pairs.

By analyzing urine samples, researchers measured exposure to 26 substances, including phthalates, bisphenols, and parabens. The study highlighted six priority substances: bisphenols A and S, and four phthalates (DEHP, DEP, DnBP, and DiBP). The most significant findings were observed during the third trimester of pregnancy.

The data suggests that an increase in the combined exposure to these six substances corresponds to an average reduction of 2.86 points in the IQ scores of children tested at age three. The researchers noted that even when looking at individual compounds, four of the six priority substances showed an association with lower cognitive scores.