Faucet Water and Being pregnant: Is It Secure?

June 27, 2023

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You’re pregnant; congratulations are so as! However as a substitute of toasting with champagne, you’ll be reaching for a refreshing glass of water, as hydration is a big a part of doing every little thing you possibly can to create a wholesome setting to your toddler. Ingesting sufficient water throughout being pregnant is tremendous necessary for all issues occurring inside your physique and your child’s well-being. However you need to be conscious of the potential risks of faucet water and being pregnant.¹

Water ensures vitamins attain the placenta, regulates your physique temperature, and even prevents these pesky pregnancy discomforts like feeling bloated or constipation. So, as you attempt to gulp down that further H₂0, figuring out whether or not your faucet water is protected throughout being pregnant is essential.¹

Whereas faucet water in lots of international locations goes via rigorous testing and remedy processes, there’s nonetheless a risk of contaminants current within the water provide. The devastating impacts of the Flint, Michigan, water disaster function a reminder {that a} protected ingesting water provide is important. In 2014, officers switched its water supply from the Detroit water system to the Flint River to economize, with severely detrimental penalties for its residents.²

Flint River water was extremely corrosive, inflicting result in leach from getting older pipes and fixtures into the ingesting water provide. Two years later, Flint residents have been suggested to not drink municipal faucet water except it was filtered to take away lead. Lead is a potent toxin that severely impacts mind improvement, particularly in younger kids and fetuses. Because of this, 1000’s of residents, together with pregnant girls and their unborn infants, have been uncovered to dangerously excessive lead ranges. The contamination disaster delivered to mild the problem of insufficient water remedy and monitoring, in addition to the detrimental affect it could possibly have on public well being.^2,3,4

The incident in Flint is an excessive and uncommon instance of water high quality neglect in the US. Nevertheless, it highlights the necessity for steady monitoring, common testing, and efficient remedy measures to stop related conditions from occurring. Some widespread faucet water contaminants you need to be conscious of are micro organism, viruses, heavy metals, pesticides, and even traces of prescription drugs. Contaminants usually fall into these 4 classes, in line with the Environmental Safety Company:⁵

Bodily: These contaminants affect water’s bodily look or properties, like sediment or natural materials.
Chemical: These are parts or compounds that could be naturally occurring or made by people, like nitrogen, bleach, pesticides, metals, and medicines.
Organic: These contaminants or microbes like micro organism, viruses, and parasites.
Radiological: These chemical parts emit radiation, like plutonium and uranium.

You may take a number of steps to make sure the protection of your faucet water. Begin by contacting your native water supplier to inquire concerning the water high quality in your space. They need to have the ability to offer you a water high quality report that outlines the particular contaminants discovered and their ranges. Unsure who to name? Begin by utilizing this useful useful resource from the Environmental Safety Company (EPA) here. Moreover, if it offers peace of thoughts, take into account having your faucet water examined by an impartial laboratory or native well being division for a complete and thorough evaluation.⁶

Widespread faucet water contaminants have numerous results on the human physique, for instance:

Micro organism and viruses, corresponding to E. coli and cryptosporidium, could cause gastrointestinal diseases which will have extra extreme penalties throughout being pregnant.^7,8
Heavy metals like lead and mercury also can pose dangers to the fetus’s growing nervous system.⁹
Pesticides and herbicides, generally utilized in agriculture, could discover their manner into water sources and have been linked to developmental points.¹⁰

By being conscious of those contaminants, you possibly can take acceptable measures to safeguard your and your child’s well being if you happen to drink faucet water throughout being pregnant. One efficient faucet water security tip is to make use of water filters. Varied kinds of filters can be found, every designed to focus on particular contaminants. For instance, activated carbon filters can take away chlorine, some pesticides, and natural compounds. Reverse osmosis programs successfully eradicate heavy metals, micro organism, and viruses. Deciding on a filter that addresses the particular contaminants of concern in your space is important. Make sure to observe the producer’s directions for putting in, sustaining, and changing filter cartridges to make sure your water stays protected.^11,12

Other than utilizing water filters, there are further steps you possibly can take to reduce the dangers related to faucet water. Heading out of city for a number of months or splitting your time between two totally different properties throughout your being pregnant? Keep away from leaving water standing in outdated pipes for prolonged intervals, as this may improve the chance of contaminants leaching into the water.¹³

One other finest observe for water security is to run the faucet for just a few seconds earlier than utilizing water for ingesting, cooking, or showering, as this may flush out any stagnant water. If in case you have not used a faucet or showerhead in your house lately (for instance, every week or extra), the CDC recommends flushing the tap or showerhead earlier than utilizing it for the primary time. Activate the chilly water absolutely and modify it to keep away from overflowing or splashing. Let the chilly water run for two minutes, then activate the recent water absolutely.¹³

Whereas there are issues about faucet water and being pregnant, keep in mind that the dangers related to contaminated water are usually low due to federal legal guidelines. Bottled water is at all times a protected wager if you happen to’re touring overseas or to an unfamiliar location. By contacting your native water supplier, understanding widespread faucet water contaminants, and using water filters, you possibly can confidently sip away, figuring out you’re offering one of the best to your toddler. Bear in mind, each drop of water you drink is a small act of affection and care. Cheers to staying hydrated and making knowledgeable selections for a wholesome and completely happy being pregnant journey!¹⁴