Can flame retardants and household chemicals cause pregnancy complications?

What's actually in it

Your furniture, electronics, and even your carpet padding contain flame retardants. One of the most common is TDCIPP, a chemical used to meet fire safety standards. These chemicals do not stay locked inside the products. They leach out and accumulate in household dust, which you inhale and absorb through your skin every day.

During pregnancy, your body is more sensitive to chemical exposures. The chemicals in your home environment can reach your developing baby through the placenta, creating risks during a critical window of development.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Ecotoxicol Environ Saf found that TDCIPP, a flame retardant commonly found in household products, disrupts immune cell function in the uterus and can induce miscarriage. The study showed this chemical triggers a specific type of cell death that damages the lining of the uterus, directly threatening a pregnancy.

The risks multiply when you consider that flame retardants are not the only chemicals in your home. A 2026 study in Ecotoxicol Environ Saf analyzed the combined effects of persistent organic pollutants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals on thyroid disease risk. The thyroid is essential for healthy fetal brain development, and disruption during pregnancy can have lasting effects on your child.

Even common food preservatives can play a role. A 2026 study published in a journal found that sodium benzoate, a preservative found in many household and food products, causes reproductive toxicity by disrupting hormones and damaging ovarian tissue. For pregnant women, this adds another layer of chemical exposure from everyday sources.