Category: Research

Wildfire smoke and pregnancy: what expecting parents need to know

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As wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense across the United States, a major new study reveals important findings about how smoke exposure affects pregnant women and their babies. The growing threat Wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, exposing millions of Americans to smoke-filled air. For pregnant people, this isn't … Continue reading Wildfire smoke and pregnancy: what expecting parents need to know

Common pesticides may disrupt placental health

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Pregnancy depends on a healthy placenta, but how environmental chemicals affect placental development is still poorly understood. Growing evidence suggests that exposure to common pesticides may increase the risk of pregnancy complications. In our new study examining pregnancy risks from pesticides, one pesticide stood out: naled. You might not have heard of naled - an … Continue reading Common pesticides may disrupt placental health

Scientists identify hundreds of chemicals from plastics in people

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Hundreds of plastic-related chemicals were identified in pregnant women by scientists at UC San Francisco in a study published today in Environment & Health Journal. Alarmingly, many of these chemicals have little to no current exposure data, which means little is known about how much they are impacting people and their health. “It is extremely … Continue reading Scientists identify hundreds of chemicals from plastics in people

PRHE at ISEE 2025: The newest science on how toxic chemicals impact pregnancy and child health

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A team of PRHE scientists will share their latest research on how plastic-related chemicals, pesticides, and chemicals in antimicrobials and clothing are affecting pregnancy and child development. What lesser-known chemicals are affecting pregnancy? Which toxic chemicals are linked to miscarriage and gestational diabetes? What combinations of toxic chemicals and social stressors are harming children’s neurodevelopment? … Continue reading PRHE at ISEE 2025: The newest science on how toxic chemicals impact pregnancy and child health

Scientists urge plastics treaty negotiators to prioritize health

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Plastics are made of more than 16,000 chemicals, mostly derived from oil and gas. Over 4,200 are known to be hazardous, while the toxicity of the majority of the remaining is unknown. – “Negotiating the plastics treaty to protect health and the environment” Main takeaways: The United Nations (UN) is in the process of negotiating … Continue reading Scientists urge plastics treaty negotiators to prioritize health

Exposure to chemical dyes in clothing increases risk of gestational diabetes

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Exposure to chemical dyes found in textiles increases the risk of gestational diabetes, especially among pregnant women carrying male fetuses, according to researchers at UC San Francisco. The study is also one of the first to find that racial discrimination increases risk of gestational diabetes. People can be exposed to aromatic amines, which are found … Continue reading Exposure to chemical dyes in clothing increases risk of gestational diabetes

Chemicals used in firefighting and pesticides linked to most common and deadly brain tumors

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Causes of gliomas, the most common type of deadly brain tumor, remain a mystery despite improvements in understanding glioma risks. Firefighters have a higher rate of these cancerous tumors, so we explored how exposure to haloalkanes, chemicals present in a number of widely used products including flame retardants, some fire extinguishants, solvents and pesticides, might … Continue reading Chemicals used in firefighting and pesticides linked to most common and deadly brain tumors

Environmental health research is essential to tackle skyrocketing chronic disease

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Have you heard of a P30 Environmental Health Center? There are 26 of them in the U.S. funded by the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences to investigate the health impacts of air and water pollution, chemicals in everyday products, microplastics, and other ways contaminants put into our environment affect people. These centers have been … Continue reading Environmental health research is essential to tackle skyrocketing chronic disease

Exploring how the environment impacts breast cancer risk

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One of the first researchers supported by the EaRTH Center was Kimberly Badal, PhD, a scientist originally focused on infectious disease research, but after discovering the high burden of cancer in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago, she changed course. Part of her research now focuses on creating better models that can predict a … Continue reading Exploring how the environment impacts breast cancer risk