Tag: #pregnancy-children — 8 segments on Living on Earth
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May 16, 2025:
Autism and Chemicals
Autism spectrum disorder is now diagnosed in about 1 in 31 children in the United States, a rise of 70 percent in just four years according to the CDC. In addition to better awareness and changing diagnostic tools, growing scientific evidence also points to the role of exposure to toxic chemicals especially during early development in the rising prevalence of autism. Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician, professor at Boston College, and one of the world’s leading experts on toxic exposure from plastics and pollution discusses with Host Steve Curwood.
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March 14, 2025:
Phthalates Linked to 100,000 Yearly Deaths
Phthalates are a group of chemicals commonly found in plastics, to the extent that they’re often referred to as “everywhere chemicals” with a wide variety of health effects. Detailed statistical analysis conducted for a new study in the US finds that people aged 55-64 with documented phthalate exposure a decade earlier died at a rate of over 100,000 people a year, most commonly from cardiovascular disease. Persons in other age groups aren’t exempt from risk; indeed phthalates are considered by some to pose the greatest risk to children in the womb and during early years of development, though so far other studies have been more limited in scope. Living on Earth’s Bobby Bascomb talks to Dr. Leonardo Trasande of NYU, the lead researcher on the newly published study, about how to avoid unnecessary exposure to these chemicals that can sometimes seem unavoidable.
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June 14, 2024:
Black Hair Care Products & Toxic Exposure
Black women in America commonly use hair relaxers and leave-in conditioners to straighten and smooth their textured hair. But many of these products contain hormone-disrupting chemicals, which are associated with health problems such as early menarche, preterm birth, diabetes, and cancer. Dr. Tamarra James-Todd, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, spoke with Host Steve Curwood.
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March 22, 2024:
Personal Care Products and IVF Miscarriage
A recent study of 1500 women in China found links between personal care product use and in-vitro fertilization problems, including slower embryo development and miscarriage. Pediatrician Leonardo Trasande joins Host Aynsley O’Neill to discuss the findings and the growing evidence linking hormone disrupting chemicals to pregnancy difficulties for people using IVF.
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December 15, 2023:
New FDA Rules for Cosmetics
A new law updates cosmetics regulations at the Food and Drug Administration for the first time in 85 years. But gaping loopholes remain for ingredient disclosure and safety testing, amid the continued presence of carcinogens, hormone disruptors and other harmful chemicals in cosmetics. Hosts Aynsley O’Neill and Steve Curwood explain the update and its impact with help from Inside Climate News Reporter Victoria St. Martin.
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August 18, 2023:
Warming Climate and Children’s Health
Children and adolescents are facing increasing health risks from extreme heat, and a study that looked at heat and pediatric emergency department visits found that black and brown children are especially impacted. Lead author Dr. Aaron Bernstein is a Pediatrician and Director of the National Center for Environmental Health at the CDC and joins Host Steve Curwood to discuss the implications of the research.
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July 07, 2023:
A New War on Cancer – Part 1
Treatments for cancer are better than ever, but cases continue to rise and cancer is still the second leading cause of death in the US. And with environmental factors linked to as many as two thirds of all cancer cases, some are calling for stronger chemical regulations as a means of cancer prevention. Kristina Marusic is the author of the book “A New War on Cancer: The Unlikely Heroes Revolutionizing Prevention” and joins Host Steve Curwood in Part 1 of their conversation to talk about why prevention is often overlooked.
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March 31, 2023:
Microplastics – “A Poison Like No Other”
Microplastics are everywhere scientists have looked for them, from the deepest ocean trenches to mountain peaks. Micro and nano plastics are in our air, water, food, and our own bodies. The recent book “A Poison Like No Other: How Microplastics Corrupted Our Planet and Our Bodies” takes a deep dive into the world of these tiny pollutants laden with thousands of different chemicals. Author Matt Simon joins Host Bobby Bascomb to discuss the dangers and options to address the problem.
