Pregnant women exposed to high levels of fluoride nearly double the odds of having a child with neurobehavioral issues by age three, including symptoms such as anxiety and emotional regulation problems, according to a recent study. The findings, revealed by researchers who examined just under 230 mother-child pairs, come amid the UK government’s controversial plans to add fluoride to the drinking water supplies of an additional 1.6 million people to improve dental health.
The study, led by Ashley Malin, an assistant professor in epidemiology at the University of Florida, found correlations between increased fluoride levels in pregnant women’s urine and higher reports of neurobehavioral problems in their children. These issues were self-reported by mothers and included headaches and stomach pain, suggesting a potential concern for fetal brain development.
“There is no known benefit of fluoride consumption to the developing fetus, but we do know that there is possibly a risk to their developing brain,” Malin said. “We found that each 0.68 milligram per liter increase in fluoride levels in the pregnant women’s urine was associated with nearly double the odds of children scoring in the clinical or borderline clinical range for neurobehavioral problems at age 3, based on their mother’s reporting.’
Malin highlighted the importance of reconsidering fluoride exposure recommendations during pregnancy. She pointed out the lack of known benefits for fetal development against potential risks and called for broader nationwide studies to further investigate her team’s findings.
