New research links plasticizers to millions of preterm births globally

More than 8 percent of the world's preterm births, in a study looking at 2018 numbers, may be associated with a chemical used in many household items.

"Our findings highlight that reducing exposure, especially in vulnerable regions, could help prevent early births and the health problems that often follow," study lead author Sara Hyman said in a news release this week.

The research suggests that di-2-ethylhexylphthalate — or DEHP — may be linked to approximately 1.97 million preterm births in 2018 alone as well as the deaths of approximately 74,000 newborns. 

Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant death and a known risk factor for developmental issues. The study was led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and was recently published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.

DEHP is part of a class of chemicals known as phthalates, commonly used as "plasticizers" to make plastics more flexible and often used in mass-produced detergents, cosmetics, and other personal care items such as soap and lotion. Exposure to DEHP has previously been linked to a range of health concerns, including cancer and heart disease. This new study also noted that diisononyl phthalate — or DiNP — often used in place of DEHP, may itself be linked to 1.88 million preterm births worldwide.

Senior author Leonardo Trasande has said the study indicates that regulating such chemicals one at a time won't adequately protect the public.  

"We are playing a dangerous game of Whac-A-Mole with hazardous chemicals, and these findings highlight the urgent need for stronger, class-wide oversight of plastic additives to avoid repeating the same mistakes," Trasande, Professor of Pediatrics at NYU, noted in the release. 

While more research is needed, an expert not involved with the study told CNN about one way that exposure to the plasticizers might contribute to preterm births.

"One pathway is the disruption of placental function, which has been documented to be affected by phthalates and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals," Jane Muncke, Chief Scientific Officer at the Food Packaging Forum in Zurich, Switzerland, told the outlet.

Muncke continued, speaking to the importance of the study, "​This is also a big, pressing reminder that innovation into safer materials, especially for use in health care, is urgent and should be a high priority for policymakers and entrepreneurs."

The researchers hope their work further establishes the foundation for future studies to refine our knowledge of these chemicals and the extent to which they may contribute to preterm births worldwide — but with special attention to regions facing disproportionate impacts. 

"Burden was estimated to be disproportionate in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa," the co-authors wrote in their report. "Implementing regulatory measures to limit exposure to phthalates as a class could help reduce the global [preterm birth] burden, particularly in areas with high [preterm birth] risk, limited regulations, and growing plastics industries."

While curbing individual, household, and community use of any unnecessary plastics may help limit personal exposure, many advocates say studies like this underscore the importance of moving forward to reach a global plastics treaty even after another round of talks in Geneva ended without agreement in August 2025.