Could fluoride in pregnancy affect kids' development? A study suggests a link

New research suggests that exposure to fluoride during pregnancy could be linked to behavioral issues in children.

New research suggests fluoride exposure during pregnancy could be linked to neurobehavioral issues in kids. But even the study’s authors — who were prompted to examine the issue based on previous concerns about prenatal fluoride — say it’s too soon to stop adding the cavity-fighting mineral to drinking water. 

The new study found that women who had higher levels of fluoride during pregnancy reported later that their kids were more likely to have temper tantrums, complain of vague headaches and stomachaches and show other neurobehavioral symptoms by age 3.

The study, the first of its kind in the U.S., comes as a growing number of cities are opting to ban fluoride in public water systems.

“I don’t think we’re at the point where we are saying that water should not be fluoridated. It’s generally considered one of the biggest public health wins, certainly for the dental community,” said study author Tracy Bastain, an associate professor of clinical population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

“But our results do give me pause,” Bastain said. “Pregnant individuals should probably be drinking filtered water.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fluoride-pregnancy-kids-development-study-link-rcna152827

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