What if You Can't Escape It?

Is what we eat to nourish our children, actually damaging their health before they're even born?

 

The modern world has really become complacent in recent years. We question the way things are, what is safe and what we consume, but only skim the surface.

 

When the BPA scare came out and the world panicked, we took BPA out of baby bottles, children’s plastics and some water bottles. Some companies also removed BPA at the behest of their consumers; to satisfy their requests for BPA free products.

All while the world was still unaware of what BPA really is, and while suppliers assured everyone their products containing BPA are safe for consumer use.

 

After all of this, can anyone say they know what BPA is? Why is it unsafe? Or worst of all, are we still consuming it?

 

Recently to try and rehab my brain from the surgery and stress of last year, I started selling Tupperware. At training one day, a director stated that BPA is used in powder form in the lining of some food packaging.
Could it be true? Surely there is no way a country (which was the first country to declare BPA a "toxic substance") would allow such products within our borders, and for Canadians to consume!?!

 

So much research ensued….only to find that it is true. In 2003, U.S. consumption was 856,000 tons, a 72% increase from the1980’s study.

 

Canada does allow BPA to be used in items we handle regularly, and on a daily basis. Items such as, but not limited to: baby and water bottles (remember we import, so not all products are necessarily BPA free on our store shelves), sports equipment, medical and dental devices, dental fillings and sealants, CDs and DVDs, household electronics, and eyeglass lenses. Epoxy resins containing bisphenol A are used as coatings on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans (this one shocked me the most, since basically the liquids would be absorbing it for months before consumption). Bisphenol A is a preferred color developer in carbonless copy paper and thermal papers (most common public exposure coming from some thermal point of sale receipt paper). It is also used in foundry castings and for lining water pipes.

Bisphenol A is also a precursor to the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A, and formerly was used as a fungicide (it kills things..hmmmm).

 

So what is BPA anyway? Why is it so bad for our consumption? 
 

BPA is a compound made up of acetone (hence the suffix A in the name) with two equivalents of phenolan (artificial estrogen)

The first use of BPA was to enhance the growth of cattle and poultry
 

BPA's toxic effects in lab animals are on the rise and common in people



A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control tested a demographically diverse group of almost 400 Americans for evidence of exposure to BPA and found that 95% of study participants had the chemical in their urine

 

 

The article also shows, a study of women with a history of recurrent miscarriages found they had higher serum BPA when compared with women with normal pregnancies. Thus leading the authors of the study to conclude, "exposure to bisphenol A is associated with recurrent miscarriage"
(Sugiura-Ogasawara et al. 2005).  

 

 

 

Resources:

http://www.ewg.org/node/20937

 

They Found the First Black Hole!

And it's my uterus!

OK, so maybe that is a little over the top. The picture is a good one to sum up the feeling though, if I must say so.

In November we finally were able to see a Gynecologist (after me requesting a referral for 6 years). They have never believed there was something not quite right, and now I have finally had the opportunity.

Drum roll....... there is nothing they can do. *sigh*

Without me having 3 documented miscarriages through my Doctor and since home pregnancy tests do not work (my "feelings" of being with child are inadmissible), their hands are tied.
It is simply too expensive to do genetic tests or any physical tests on me (in all this I am seeing a positive side to private health care). For now, all they will do is more blood tests (repeating the same ones from last February) and send us off with positive affirmations and well wishes!
When the Doctor told me there was nothing wrong with me and that he feels very positive we will carry our own child; I sat mouth open, with a stunned look on face. Then,

Gynecologist said, "just go home and don't try."
To which I said, "what does that mean?"
Gynecologist said, "don't use protection, plan intercourse or measure your temperature, just enjoy the moment."
I said, "believe me, we have never "tried" in that sense. We have always held the philosophy that we would enjoy being intimate in the moment, without any thought towards getting pregnant." that, "we enjoy sex anytime the mood strikes (some weeks daily or whatever happens, happens). We don't place any pressure on one another to 'do it now or else!' and that we love our sex life. So what advice do you have, cause the great sex ain't doing the trick!!!!"
Gynecologist said, "What do you mean?"
Me, "Well if there is no pressure, our sex life is spontaneous & stress free, what else is there that we can do to be more successfull?"
Gynecologist said, "Oh, well, I think if you just keep at that it will do the trick."
Me, "Well it hasn't yet!"
Gynecologist said, "Eventually."
Me, "It's been a while."
Gynecologist has a puzzled look, then eureka strikes and... "it has been almost a year since your last pregnancy hasn't it!?!"
"Yep."
Gynecologist said, "Hmmm, maybe we should do at least one expensive test."
*frusterated sigh from David & I*

From what we understand talking to my Physician after, is that they have guidlines to follow. With my age and "low miscarriage rate", I am classed as fertile and able to carry. Thus we do not qualify to be referred for further testing, genetic or otherwise. Woohoo a whole year waiting to waste more of my time!

Then the cherry on top came after our appointment, aunt flow didn't come for a month and a half.
Don't hold your breath, no swell news here!
Back to my Physician, only to hear that there are still medical mysteries or I could be Peri-menopausal (but that cannot be properly diagnosed in my case till I have been a year without). He also said, given my situation (1 tube, unable to carry past 6 - 8 weeks, blood tests normal, not PCOS and this new situation), at best we are going to require IVF in a couple years, once referred by our Gyno. Plus he thinks the IVF is a long shot too. :'( Boo!!!!

Our Lottery odds just went down the drain or would that be the black hole?

Yet, somewhere, not sure were...a teeny-tiny-itsy-bitsy-unquantafiable amount of HOPE still lingers.