Can prenatal phthalate exposure cause developmental delays in toddlers aged 1 to 3?

What's actually in it

Phthalates are plasticizers found in food packaging, plastic wrap, vinyl flooring, and fragranced products like lotions and air fresheners. Pregnant people absorb them daily through food, skin, and air. Phthalates cross the placenta and reach the developing baby during critical brain growth periods.

The first three years of life are when language, motor skills, and problem-solving abilities develop most rapidly. Disruptions during fetal development can delay these milestones.

What the research says

A 2026 prospective study in Environ Int measured phthalate metabolites in pregnant women's urine and then assessed their children's neurodevelopment at ages 1, 2, and 3 years using standardized tests.

Children whose mothers had higher phthalate levels during pregnancy showed delays in gross motor skills (crawling, walking, climbing), fine motor skills (grasping, drawing), and language milestones (first words, sentence formation). The associations were strongest for DEHP metabolites and DBP metabolites.

The delays were visible as early as 12 months and persisted through age 3. Some children showed a pattern of falling further behind over time rather than catching up, suggesting the effects compound rather than resolve.

Phthalates are believed to cause these delays by disrupting thyroid hormones and sex hormones during brain development, both of which control the timing and pace of neural circuit formation.

During pregnancy, reduce phthalate exposure by storing food in glass, using fragrance-free products, and avoiding vinyl and flexible plastic items in your home.