In recent years, endometriosis has been on the rise, posing significant challenges to those affected by this debilitating condition. Today, at least 1 in 10 women worldwide are affected by the disease, and I am one of those 190 million.
March was Endometriosis Awareness Month, and as we grapple with the disease’s increasing occurrence, it's crucial to explore the underlying factors driving this trend. One glaring aspect that demands attention is the correlation between the surge in endometriosis cases and the proliferation of chemicals in our environment, including those found in everyday plastic packaging materials. This blog post dives into the connections between the rise in endometriosis and the pervasive presence of chemicals, shedding light on pressing health and environmental concerns. Endometriosis is a challenging condition characterized by the growth of tissue similar to the lining of the uterus outside of the uterus itself. This tissue thickens, breaks down, and bleeds with each menstrual cycle, leading to trapped blood and the formation of lesions on organs like the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes. This can result in symptoms including severe pelvic pain, painful periods, bowel movements discomfort, bloating, dyspareunia, and infertility.
In the United States, thousands of chemicals are incorporated into standard consumer products and packaging that could be damaging to one’s health due to a system that positions chemicals as innocent until proven guilty.
I have faced significant hurdles due to this condition, with debilitating pain affecting my daily life. My journey has involved frequent specialist visits, hospital stays, and surgeries, not to mention the emotional toll of fertility struggles and financial strain. Five years ago, as this pain reached new levels, I embarked on my career in sustainability. In the years that followed, I encountered alarming data linking pervasive exposure to chemicals to environmental crises and health crises that shed light on my own experience.
In the United States, thousands of chemicals are incorporated into standard consumer products and packaging that could be damaging to one’s health due to a system that positions chemicals as innocent until proven guilty. These include Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, or EDCs. EDCs interfere with the body’s endocrine system, which is responsible for producing hormones that regulate various critical bodily functions, including reproduction. EDCs can mimic or block the body’s natural hormonal system, leading to adverse health impacts like reproductive disorders.
Today, EDCs are a bit inescapable: they were recently found in samples of plastic food packaging around the world. And several reports, including a recent study from the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics have associated phthalates, an EDC primarily used to make plastics more flexible and durable, with endometriosis. This isn’t the first study to raise concern about phthalates and other EDCs. In 2022, a study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences suggested phthalate exposure is associated with a 14 to 16% greater likelihood of a preterm birth.
This issue is compounded by the fact that women bear a disproportionate burden of exposure to chemicals. Traditional gender roles and societal norms increase women’s contact with cleaning products, baby products, makeup, fragrances, fast fashion, and more – all of which can be laden with EDCs, among other chemicals.
As fertility coach, doula, and birth educator Ivy Joeva aptly points out, “Women today are exposed to more chemicals in one month than their grandmas were their whole lives.”
Transitioning to reusable or third-party certified compostable solutions can help mitigate chemical exposure from plastic packaging.
And here’s the bigger issue: it doesn’t stop there. An Environmental Working Group test showed that these types of chemicals are so persistent, they pass from mother to daughter. A blood and urine test of four mother-daughter pairs showed an average exposure to 35 product chemicals, including flame retardants, plasticizers, and stain-proof coatings. The study also found some of the most persistent industrial chemicals can even pass on to a third generation. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. As a woman navigating the challenges of endometriosis and envisioning motherhood, I get it. For me, I persevere by working to identify the most common points of toxic exposure, and therefore, the biggest opportunities for change. And in those crosshairs, packaging continues to stand out. Through reducing overall plastic consumption, leaning into non-toxic alternatives and advocating for smart legislation that reduces consumers’ toxicity burdens, we can drastically mitigate chemical exposure and safeguard human and environmental health. This promise propels me forward as a sustainability professional, a consumer, a woman with endometriosis, and a future mom.
Earth Pulse is an advocacy blog produced by Better Earth. It is intended to help inform and educate about the urgent issues around sustainability, the environment, and social justice, through posts from a variety of authors.