References are hyperlinked throughout the transcript below.
What is the most sensitive time of pregnancy for your baby's sexual development? Gestational week 7 is when physical gender differentiation starts. When you understand the biology here, you'll see why mom should be hyper-vigilant about exposure to hormone disruptors from around week 7 to week 12. Especially phthalates, which are known to be anti-androgenic and cross the placental barrier. A systematic review of dozens of studies that was published in 2018 showed "robust evidence of an association between DEHP and DBP exposure and male reproductive outcomes. [those are 2 common phthalates found everywhere in the environment].
Here's how it happens: the presence of DHT, which comes from testosterone is what makes little men develop man parts. If it is absent, a fetus will essentially develop female reproductive organs. If it is interfered with or partially blocked, you can get disturbing defects in the genitals. One type of defect is now seen in one in every 250-300 births. And reviews of the last 40 years show that frequency on the rise. You didn't know that because it's not something parents rush off to print up announcements about. And it's not just the formation of reproductive parts that's affected. It can affect brain chemistry as well. That's what studies show, but if you just think about it intuitively, at a time when a human developmental process is so critically dependent on testosterone, having anti-testosterone endocrine disruptors tumbling around in the fetal circulation should be a concern.
A review on the association of prenatal phthalate exposure with female reproductive and developmental effects was less robust. And I think that's at least partially because of the nature of the mechanism and the role of testosterone in differentiating out the male development from the "default" female, but the studies still showed moderate evidence for increased risk for preterm birth.
What do you do to protect your unborn baby? Look at my library of videos on hormone disruptors. Avoid plastics as much as possible, filter your water, no plastic water bottles, no fragrances in air fresheners, lotions, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, fabric softeners, or in any personal care or cleaning products, filter the air in your home and car, buy organic food, fresh or in glass containers. Bag your groceries in reusable cloth bags.
Here's the thing. 30 years ago we barely knew what an anti-androgen was, so this is relatively new. And, so too are the effects we're seeing. But we know now! You just got a lot smarter about this and what's at stake. You are seeing the full force of 50 years of "I don't care" manufacturing and food production. Don't expect someone else to protect your baby. This is a vulnerable window that passes quickly and cannot be reversed. Step up and get started as soon as you know you're pregnant!
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