By Erin Kayata
Chemicals found in certain personal care products — including sunscreen and makeup — may cause hypertension during pregnancy and affect the long-term health of both the pregnant parent and the fetus, according to a study led by a Northeastern professor.
The study found that phenols and parabens, chemicals that are widely used as UV filters in sunscreen and to prevent bacteria and mold growth in cosmetics, may increase the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy. Researchers looked at the associations between individual phenols and parabens, as well as what happens when they’re combined, targeting products pregnant people are likely to use often.
“A lot of studies only look at one chemical exposure at a time,” said Julia Varshavsky, assistant professor of environmental health at Northeastern University and lead scientist on the study. “But we’re actually exposed to many different chemicals at one time, so we really want to look at the mixture effect like what’s the cumulative effect of all of those exposures at once.”
