Decades of research document the detrimental health effects of BPA – an expert on environmental pollution and maternal health explains what it all means

Woman drinking from plastic water bottle

Whether or not you’ve heard of the chemical bisphenol A, better known as BPA, studies show that it’s almost certainly in your body. BPA is used in the manufacturing of products like plastic water bottles, baby bottles, toys and food packaging, including in the lining of cans. BPA is one of many harmful chemicals in … Continue reading Decades of research document the detrimental health effects of BPA – an expert on environmental pollution and maternal health explains what it all means

The weak link: gaps in exposure assessments

Protecting the public from the most concerning environmental chemicals and contaminants involves many individual steps. For example, when an agency like the US EPA or FDA evaluates a chemical used in consumer products, they want to evaluate:  the hazards associated with that chemical,   how that chemical causes harm, how much of the chemical is released … Continue reading The weak link: gaps in exposure assessments

Long-term study of pregnant women finds increasing chemical exposure

A national study that enrolled a highly diverse group of pregnant women over a 12-year period found rising exposure to chemicals from plastics and pesticides that may be harmful to development. Many of the chemicals that the women had been exposed to were replacement chemicals: new forms of chemicals that have been banned or phased … Continue reading Long-term study of pregnant women finds increasing chemical exposure

The researchers behind the headlines: Who are PRHE’s Clinical Research Coordinators and what do they do?

Versions of this post appear in both English and Spanish languages below. Research is a major focus of the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, and a big part of our research focuses on data collected from pregnant women and children. But where does that data come from? Who collects all of it … Continue reading The researchers behind the headlines: Who are PRHE’s Clinical Research Coordinators and what do they do?

What the science says about children’s environmental health

Versions of this post appear in both English and Spanish languages below. October 8 is Children’s Environmental Health Day, started by the Children’s Environmental Health Network four years ago to bring attention to how environmental policies influence children’s health and development. PRHE and our new EaRTH Center are co-sponsors. Children’s health and the environment are … Continue reading What the science says about children’s environmental health

10 ways to avoid toxic chemicals

Versions of this post appear in both English and Spanish languages below. The science is clear: harmful chemicals in our environment put healthy pregnancies and fetal development at risk. To help health-care professionals and their patients better understand how chemicals affect health—and what they can do about it—UCSF’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment … Continue reading 10 ways to avoid toxic chemicals