Avoid Household Chemicals When Pregnant

... …or at any other time. Got bleach, paint or air fresheners in your home. Throw them out. That is, safely recycle them.

Women who use a lot of household cleaning products when they are pregnant or shortly after the birth of their baby, may be increasing the risk of their child developing asthma, concludes the "Children of the 90s" study.

The report also found that children who are exposed to high levels of chemicals contained in these products (what is a high level?) had a 41% increased risk of wheezing persistently to the age of 7 _ years and had slightly lower than normal lung function.

It would certainly help to know what “a lot” and “a high level” are.

Dr John Henderson, lead author of the study, from the University of Bristol, said small children might be more likely to develop asthma in homes where more chemicals are used. “We think that is perhaps due to irritant effects of the chemicals on the child after birth, which may cause inflammation of the airways leading to the development of asthma,” he said.