A plastic softener that manufacturers adopted to replace older phthalates was linked to slightly smaller babies in a new analysis of 6,617 U.S. pregnancies led by NYU Langone Health researchers. Each tenfold increase in the level of the chemical, called DINCH, in a pregnant woman's urine was associated with a 27-gram drop in birth weight, slightly less than one ounce. The study was observational, so it shows a link, not proof that DINCH caused the difference.
Exposure appears to be common. Between 50% and 70% of pregnant participants had measurable levels of DINCH breakdown products in their urine, according to the researchers. DINCH has been used since 2002 in commercial products such as toys, medical devices, and food packaging, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST).
