Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/869597
SO, WHAT'S WRONG WITH BVO? BVO contains bromine, which is known to interfere with thyroid function. Even more frightening, it is found in the brominated flame-retardants that are used in upholstered furniture and children's products. Research has found that brominated flame retardants build up in the body and breast milk. BVO leaves residues that accumulate in body fat, the brain, the liver, and other organs. Studies in animals demonstrate that BVO is transferred from a mother's milk to the nursing infant. BVO has been associated with heart lesions, fatty changes in the liver, and impaired growth and behavioral development, and both animal and human studies have linked BVO to neurological problems, fertility problems, changes in thyroid hormones and precocious puberty. Charles Vorhees, a toxicologist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, told Scientific American that "Compounds like these that are in widespread use probably should be reexamined periodically with newer technologies to ensure that there aren't effects that would have been missed by prior methods ... I think BVO is the kind of compound that probably warrants some reexamination." WHAT ABOUT OTHER GLUCOSE TEST DRINKS? Even if the glucose test drink you are offered doesn't contain something as obviously noxious as BVO, they pretty much all contain artificial flavors and colors, high fructose corn syrup, and the glucose itself is derived from corn – most certainly not GMO-free! Not ingredients I would want to drink during pregnancy (or ever). WHAT'S A MOM TO DO ABOUT GLUCOSE TESTING? As women, many of us were taught to "be nice" or "be seen and not heard." As patients, this can translate into accepting tests, procedures, and treatments that we feel we do not want or need, or that, in this case, might not be safe for us or our babies! You certainly have the right to read the label on the glucose test drink you are being offered before agreeing to the test! You also have the right not to be screened for GDM, as well as to choose your preferred screening method. In fact, in 2011, ACOG clearly stated that gestational diabetes guidelines should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of treatment or procedure. Variations in practice may be warranted based on the needs of the individual patient, resources, and limitations unique to the institution or type of practice. And further, and more importantly, ACOG clearly states that a pregnant woman's autonomy is to be respected, and that judicial authority should not be used to implement treatment regimens aimed at protecting the fetus, for such actions violate the pregnant woman's autonomy. The GTT test has a wide margin of error – the test misses many women who have GDM, and diagnoses others who do not have it at all. Thus, women who need extra nutritional counseling might not get it at all, and others with normal healthy pregnancies might get unnecessarily put into high-risk categories, such as receiving a potentially toxic drink for the sake of a less than reliable test. If we all say NO to toxic glucose test drink ingredients, we might be able to put enough pressure on the manufacturers to change and remove unnecessary and potentially toxic ingredients (including things like ester of wood rosin!). Abby's Magazine - Volume 5 Issue 5 | Page 35