In the News: Drinking unfiltered water may pose a threat to unborn babies.

Women who drink unfiltered tap water during pregnancy may unwittingly be doubling their risk of serious heart or brain effects in their unborn child.

 

Studies carried out in Taiwan on 400,000 babies found a definite link between chemicals formed in chlorination and the occurrence of certain abnormalities, such as a hole in the heart and cleft lip. And the odds of brain defects were almost doubled, the Journal Environmental Health reported. It isn’t just tap water but water from showers, swimming pools and even a steaming kettle that may contain problem chemicals called THMs or trihalmomethanes. Experts believe the problem chemicals may harm the unborn baby or damage a baby’s eggs.

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