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Study finds toxic chemicals in pregnant women - including a common cosmetic ingredient

November 17, 2009

We’d like to think that mama’s belly is a safe, non-toxic environment. Yet according to research released today, pregnant women’s bodies are polluted with chemicals found in consumer products - including cosmetics.

In “Earliest Exposures,” our partners at Washington Toxics Coalition, Commonweal and the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition report that chemicals that may disrupt development and hormonal systems were found in all nine of the pregnant women who participated in a recent biomonitoring study. We know that chemicals pass from mother to fetus in the womb, and even small amounts of toxic chemicals can have serious, long-lasting impacts on health.

One of the women in the study, Amy, was frustrated to find out that she had a chemical called DEP (a phthalate often found in cosmetics via “fragrance”) in her body while she was pregnant, despite her efforts to choose cosmetics carefully. But it would be impossible for Amy to know what she’s really putting on her body because gaping loopholes in federal law allow fragrance ingredients like DEP to be omitted from cosmetic ingredient labels.

And that brings us to the question we shouldn’t have to ask: Congress, will you support our efforts to make sure women like Amy are protected from harmful chemicals in cosmetics?

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has made progress on getting phthalates out of fragrance and nail polish, but we need action from Congress to make sure all cosmetics are safe. You can help.

-Mia, Lisa, Marisa and all of us at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

www.safecosmetics.org

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