Trying To Get Pregnant? 5 Beauty Ingredients That May Be Toxic To Your Cause

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As women, we all know the degree to which hormones play a vital role in our bodily functions. We’ve all seen how hormones impact our body, be it as a surge of acne during our monthly cycles, or the change in our body size after giving birth to a baby. There’s no doubt about it, hormones are essential to maintaining a healthy internal balance. And one such balance is during reproduction.

If you are trying to get pregnant, you might want to exclude certain makeup products from your daily makeup routine, which may be toxic and hindering your attempts at conceiving. ‘Endocrine disruptors’ are ingredients found in most personal care products that may cause havoc in the normal functioning of the endocrine system, which happens to be responsible for the secretion of hormones.

Women trying to conceive should especially take measures to avoid being exposed to these endocrine disruptors, as they may affect the baby or even come in the way of you getting pregnant. Studies show that the common disorders found in women, such as endometriosis, disorders of the uterus, and disorders of the ovaries, like premature ovarian failure (POF) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may all be indirectly related to endocrine disruptors found in cosmetics (1).

Here are 5 such beauty ingredients that may be toxic to your pregnancy!

In This Article

1. Phthalates

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Your basic beauty products like nail polish, hairspray, and synthetic fragrances may be causing you more harm than good during your daily beauty regime.

The damage: A study done on animals has shown that phthalates can interfere with a woman’s sex hormones and cause her to lose her fetus. When infertile couples were studied, it was found that infertile women had a history of exposure to certain types of phthalates (2). Additionally, they are even associated with male reproductive issues (3).

Sometimes phthalates may go unnoticed under the name ‘fragrance/perfume’ in your cosmetic ingredients; however, they could be your secretly your culprits. So, the next time you buy makeup products, you may want to specifically check for these.

2. Parabens

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These are found in your everyday products like shampoo, face cleansers, body lotions, body washes, foundations, etc.

The damage: Parabens may do to your body what oestrogen does. They mimic the function of the said hormone, which is responsible for regulating and developing the female reproductive system (4). An increased exposure to parabens during pregnancy may cause behavioural changes and anxiety in the offspring.

3. BHA & BHT

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Lipsticks, eye shadow, moisturizers, diaper creams, blush, and face powder are some basic products that most often contain BHA and BHT.

The damage: BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are chemicals widely used as preservatives in the food industry as well as in basic skincare products. They usually interfere with the reproductive functions and may cause problems in the male and female reproductive systems.

4. Octinoxate & Oxybenzone

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These chemicals are generally found in sunscreen lotions, moisturizers, aftershave, lipsticks, nail polishes, skin creams, foundations, fragrances, and hair products.

The damage: When these chemicals were tested on animals, it was found that they alter the structure and weight of the male and female reproductive organs. High exposure to oxybenzone-related chemicals was seen to have an impact on the ovaries and egg production of female fish (5).

5. Triclosan

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Triclosan, commonly abbreviated as TCS, is found in certain consumer products, such as toothpaste, soaps, detergents, and shaving creams.

The damage: According to a study, triclosan as an endocrine disruptor could lead to implantation failure, where a fertilized egg would not get properly attached to the uterus, thereby hindering pregnancy. Another harmful effect of the chemical is a reported decrease in the quality of sperm (6).

The above facts are based on studies but may not have the same result in every case. But if you are trying to conceive, it is better to be safe and take necessary precautions.

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