Can endocrine disruptors from plastics and cosmetics affect your thyroid during pregnancy?

What's actually in it

Pregnant women are exposed to mixtures of endocrine-disrupting chemicals every day from plastics, cosmetics, cleaning products, and food packaging. These include phthalates, bisphenols, parabens, and PFAS. Each chemical alone may seem low-risk, but together they can overwhelm the body's ability to maintain hormonal balance. The thyroid gland is especially sensitive.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Int J Hyg Environ Health from the SELMA pregnancy study measured multiple EDCs in pregnant women and tested their thyroid function. The researchers found that the mixture of chemicals had a stronger effect on thyroid hormones than any single chemical alone. Women exposed to higher overall EDC levels showed more thyroid disruption.

Thyroid hormones are essential for fetal brain development. Even small changes in maternal thyroid function during pregnancy can affect the baby's IQ, learning ability, and behavior later in life.

During pregnancy, reduce your total chemical load by choosing fragrance-free products, glass food storage, and natural cleaning products. Every chemical you eliminate lowers the overall mixture effect.