Plastic Exposure & Preterm Birth: Estimates of Morbidity and Mortality Associated with Certain Phthalates

In the News

A recent study from NYU Langone’s Division of Environmental Pediatrics looked at a phthalate called di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP), which is used to make plastic products more flexible, and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), a common replacement for DEHP. Previous studies have linked exposure to these chemicals to higher preterm birth rates. NYU Langone researchers estimate that DEHP exposure contributed to about 1.97 million preterm births in 2018 alone, or more than 8 percent of the world’s total. To visualize the burden of phthalates estimated by their new disease-burden model, researchers at NYU Langone created an interactive map showing results from the study. Use the model and read more about how to reduce your exposure here.