Can exposure to formaldehyde cause birth defects?
By admin on Dec 29, 2009 in Featured, Women's Health
Claudys asked:
i just got a new mobile home and it says that some materials have formaldehyde. the thing is im planning to get pregnant maybe this year or next year.. can this cause any problems to a fetus or any developmental defect?? thanks in advance.
On Dec 29, 2009, rich said:
YES! I would strongly recommend that you test your mobile home for formaldehyde. The least expensive method is a passive acs badge for formaldehyde. Cost is $39 including the lab analysis plus shiping.
To start the test simply slide the outter cover down exposing a series of small holes. Suspend the badge somewhere in the middle of the area being tested. You may want to test the master bedroom as you are there for 8-hours each night. Regardless of the results you should test again in the summer heat as formaldehyde double with each 10 degree increase in temperature.
The State of California reduced their acceptable level to 9 ppb. That is difficult to achieve. But children are negatively impacted at just 30 ppb. 100 ppb negatively impacts most adults.
If your results are high, as I would expect you can reduce the level by increaing ventilation. Open doors and windows and a continual fresh air heat exchanger. Also you can seal unfinished manufactured wood surfaces such as the under side of drawers, backs of dressers inside cabinets etc. After you make as much progress as you can retest or hire a certified industrial hygienist that has a direct read meter. Individual items can be isolated by draping in plastic and then measuring the concentration under the plastic.
On Jan 1, 2010, wantsshy said:
I believe there is a concern about that…. they don’t even reccomend women painting thier nails while pregnant to not be exposed to the formaldehyde
On Jan 4, 2010, Al W said:
This site says that it doesnt, though it can be transferred through breast milk
On Jan 7, 2010, Country Boy said:
Hun, I wouldn’t be the least bit worried nowadays as the chemistry has changed sense I had my entire house walls filled with the old formaldehyde 35 yrs. ago. My wife delivered two beautiful now adult ladies soon after our home was insulated.