Fabrics like polyester can contain a number of chemicals that may have an impact on fertility
The epidermis (skin) is the largest organ in the body, it would therefore be logical that toxins found in the tissues that rest on the surface of the skin can be absorbed by the skin and make its way in the blood circulation. And the polyester was considered a particularly suspicious fabric because it is made from a chemical called Polyethylene Téréphtlate, a plastic polymer used in various products.
A study Published in 1993 followed 24 dogs divided into two equal groups, one group wore a dark cotton and the other polyester. At the end of the study period, there was a significant decrease in the number of sperm and an increase in sperm anomalies in dogs that wore polyester pants. But that said, this study has three decades, carried out on dogs, and had little additional research to show since.
Thus, the jury is certainly still to know if the tissues reduce fertility, but there are certain things that we know.
Chemicals found in the polyester
According to Audrey GASKINSAssociate professor of environmental health at EMORY University, most studies are focused on specific chemicals that could be found in tissues rather than on the tissues themselves, and these chemicals are generally measured in blood or urine.
But tissues like polyester can contain a number of chemicals that may have an impact on fertility. The PFAs, abbreviated for per- and polyfluoroalkyle substances, are a group of chemicals found in thousands of products, and they are difficult to eliminate for the body.
“PFAs are commonly found in water resistant clothes,” says Gaskins. However, drinking water is probably the most common way, as well as non -stick kitchen utensils, and many others.
Research has shown that PFA can reduce fertility in women by 40%. According to the National NIH Institute for Environmental health sciencesThe high levels of PFA found in the blood were linked to a reduction in the chances of pregnancy and living birth. Other research has shown that PFAs are linked to an increase in cases of endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (SOPK), which reduce fertility.
Find out more: How fast fashion is harmful to the environment – and people’s health
Bad pregnancy results
Polyester (When combined with spandex) Can also contain bisphenol A (BPA), another chemical compound which has proven to have an impact on fertility. An December 2022 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine I found a higher prevalence of sopk in women with high quantities of BPA in their blood.
Finally, polyester can contain phthalates, a chemical that is commonly used in things like sports bras and other clothes. It has also been shown that they had a negative impact on fertility. A study published in the September 2021 issue of the journal Best practice and clinical endocrinology and metabolism have found that higher concentrations of chemicals have been associated with a decrease in pregnancy rates, an increase in miscarriage incidents and other pregnancy complications.
“We have found suggestive associations between higher concentrations of bisphenol and phthalate metabolites and worst reproductive health markers as bad success with IVF,” explains Gaskins. “What we don’t know is where the source of exhibition comes from.”
Exposure to chemicals decreases on fertility
However, the obvious involvement if you try to get pregnant is to try to reduce your exposure to one of these chemicals by any possible path, especially when you have an exposure control. If we know that there are chemicals in these tissues, the decrease in their use would be more feasible for many people, for example, the change in drinking water, explains Gaskins.
There is certainly no drawbacks to reduce your exposure to these chemicals, and although clothes are probably not the biggest means of exposure to things like PFA, phthalates and BPA, if you try to get pregnant, they are certainly a good starting point.
This article does not offer medical advice and should be used for information purposes only.
Learn more:: What are the risks of APFs that continue to degenerate?
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com Use studies evaluated by high -quality peers and sources for our articles, and our publishers examine scientific precision and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
Sara Novak is a scientific journalist based in South Carolina. In addition to writing to discover, his work appears in Scientific American, Popular Science, New Scientist, Sierra Magazine, Astronomy Magazine and many others. She obtained a Baccalaureate in journalism from the Grady School of Journalism from the University of Georgia. She is also a candidate for a master’s degree in scientific writing from Johns Hopkins University (expected diploma 2023).
