Can fluoride in water cause premature birth.

02 March 2011

Research has come to light about the relationship between the fluoridation of municipal water supply and the percentage of premature births. The study was conducted by the State University of New York and published in 2009 at the American Public Health annual meeting and suggests that pregnant women who avoided ingesting fluoride were less likely to develop anaemia.

AK Susheela, a leading fluoride expert, in a study published in Current Science (May 2010) showed that it also decreased premature births and enhanced babies birth weight. Prematurity is based on birth before 37 weeks.

The conclusions showed that anaemic pregnant women in India who were divided into two groups, both of whom were given iron and folic acid supplements, had a higher incidence of low weight or premature babies if they were in the group given no fluoride avoidance instructions. The other group were told to avoid drinking fluoride in water, food and other sources and ate a nutritional diet.

Susheela suggested that the interference and damage in the gastrintestinal tract caused by the ingestion of “undesired” chemicals from food, water etc, prevented the absorbtion of nutrients. The study showed that in the avoidance group, the gastrointestinal tract had regenerated and absorbed nutrients more efficiently.

The Current Science report concludes that women who ingest fluoride in the diets through food and water have a higher tendency to the reduction of red blood cells, the inefficient absorption of folic acid, lower production of Vitamin B12 and the resulting problems with production of haemoglobin.

The question over the value of fluoridation in dentistry is always a topic for debate with clear questions over its effectiveness. However, the findings of studies making links between premature birth and fluoride in drinking water are now in the public arena and undoubtedly will be the subject of more research.

Water coolers using reverse osmosis technology remove fluoride and therefore restore choices for women who choose to avoid ingesting fluoride. Domestic units using the same technology are also available on the market making it easier to make those choices in their homes.

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