20 Oct Fertility and Plastics with IVF MD
Today we have Dr. Beverly Reed from IVF MD sharing on the topic of fertility and plastics, one that is very important to me and I have done some reasearch on in the past. Thank you Dr. Reed for sharing!
Fertility & Plastic
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to make many plastic items that we use in our daily lives such as drinkware and food storage containers. While it has been traditionally considered safe to use, some have concerns since Americans have been found to have low levels of BPA in our bloodstream. How does BPA get into our bloodstream? The BPA chemicals can leach from drink containers or from food storage containers into our drinks and/or food, especially if the container is heated up.
Why should we be concerned about BPA?
A Harvard study showed that women with the highest levels of BPA in their urine had the lowest implantation rates while undergoing IVF treatment. While this study cannot confirm how or why BPA had this association, it definitely prompted researchers to investigate the issue further. There are now numerous studies that have shown that BPA has the capability to act as an “endocrine disruptor”, meaning that it can disrupt the body’s normal hormonal regulation. However, further research is ongoing to find out exactly how BPA can cause its effects and at what dose BPA causes problems.
So, what do we do in the meantime?
A prudent approach while research on BPA continues is to limit BPA exposure as much as possible. While many plastic products are labeled “BPA free”, the replacement used for BPA has the potential to be just as or more toxic than BPA. Switching drink containers to glass or stainless steel provide a great alternative. Mason jars are an inexpensive way to make this lifestyle change. Glass and stainless steel food containers will further limit BPA exposure. Silicone is also a great and safe plastic alternative to use as well.
What are your favorite products?
Here are the links to some of Dr. Reed’s favorite products (She has no financial ties to any of the products):
Stainless Steel Food Container
Dr. Beverly Reed is a Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Physician at IVFMD (http://ivfmd.net/) in the Dallas-Worth Area. She has research experience with BPA and diminished ovarian reserve, but she treats the full spectrum of infertility problems including PCOS, unexplained infertility, endometriosis, ovulatory dysfunction, and more.
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