According to a new study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, pregnant women exposed to higher levels of endocrine-disrupting plasticizers had a sharp rise in blood pressure late in pregnancy and had raised BP levels up to 6 years postpartum.

The study included women in Mexico City from late 2007 to 2011 as part of the PROGRESS trial. Investigators noted that the urine samples from 892 pregnant women carried traces of nine phthalates, a class of synthetic chemicals used in food production and packaging, and in cosmetics and other products. Of the 15 phthalate metabolites analyzed, all were identified in at least 86% of samples and a majority were found in at least 99% of the samples.

Statistical models revealed that higher combined levels of the compounds were tied to higher blood pressure during mid-to-late pregnancy through 72 months postpartum… (Medscape)