A new study from the Keck School of Medicine at USC has revealed that higher fluoride levels during pregnancy correlate with an increased risk of neurobehavioral issues in children at age three. This research supports previous findings linking prenatal fluoride exposure to lower IQ and emphasizes the need for policy reviews concerning fluoride consumption during pregnancy. Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC carried out the first study in the U.
S. exploring the connection between prenatal fluoride exposure and the social, emotional, and behavioral development of children. Almost 75% of the U.
S. population gets drinking water with added fluoride, a measure initiated in 1945 to combat tooth decay. However, recent research indicates that fluoride consumption during pregnancy—a crucial time for brain development—may harm the fetus.
A new study, led by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and funded in part by the National Institutes of Health , analyzed more than 220 mother-child pairs, collecting data on fluoride levels during pregnancy and child behavior at age three. The researchers found that a 0.68 milligram per liter increase in fluoride exposure was associated with nearly double the chance of a child showing neurobehavioral problems in a range considered close to or at a level to meet the criteria for clinical diagnosis.
The findings were just published in JAMA Network Open . “Women with higher fluoride exposure levels in their bodies durin.