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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="#000099" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/07/31/new-study-finds-infertility-could-be-linked-to-chemical-in-plastic/">http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/07/31/new-study-finds-infertility-could-be-linked-to-chemical-in-plastic/</a></span><o:p></o:p></font></p>
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<b><font size="5" color="gray" face="Helvetica"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:19.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:gray;font-weight:bold">New Study Finds Infertility Could Be Linked To Chemical In Plastic<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><b><font size="1" color="#646161" face="Helvetica"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#646161;font-weight:bold">July 31, 2013 3:12 PM<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">BOSTON (CBS) — A troubling new study could explain why some couples have trouble conceiving.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital found infertility could be directly linked to a chemical found in plastic.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">One in six couples are infertile in America, according to doctors at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">Bisphenol-A, or BPA, is an environmental toxin that disrupts the endocrine system.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">In other words, it disrupts the hormone system in the body.Dr. Catherine Racowsky has been part of a 2-year-study.In the study, human
eggs were exposed to BPA in a controlled environment.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">“Any disruption in this exquisite tiny little structure in the egg can disrupt fertility,” Racowsky said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">Researchers found eggs that were exposed to BPA were less likely to mature or did so abnormally.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">Which increases the risk for birth defects like Down Syndrome.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">“Be aware that products such as BPA are there and this may be one contributing factor that may play a role in this horrible disease of
infertility,” Racowsky said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">BPA is found in things we handle everyday like water bottles, receipts, and due to pollution even the air we breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">The Food and Drug Administration has banned BPA from baby bottles and formula but it’s still commonly used in items like canned food.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">Racowsky says more research is needed but if possible, steer clear of processed food.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<font size="1" color="gray" face="Georgia"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:gray">“I think the take home message for infertile couples is to try to lead the healthiest lifestyles that you can,” she said.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Deborah L. DeBiasi</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><b><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy;font-weight:bold">Email: Deborah.DeBiasi@deq.virginia.gov</span></font></b><b><i><font size="2" color="red"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:red;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"><br>
</span></font></i></b><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">WEB site address:
<a href="http://www.deq.virginia.gov/">www.deq.virginia.gov</a></span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Virginia Department of Environmental Quality</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Office of Water Permits
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Industrial Pretreatment/Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Program</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">PPCPs, EDCs, and Microconstituents<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><a href="http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/PermittingCompliance/PollutionDischargeElimination/Microconstituents.aspx">http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/PermittingCompliance/PollutionDischargeElimination/Microconstituents.aspx</a></span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Mail: P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Location: 629 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">PH: 804-698-4028 FAX: 804-698-4032<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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