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A recent study undertaken in Taiwan has revealed that pregnant mothers, who drink tap water or even take shower from it, double the risk of serious brain and hear abnormalities in their unborn babies. Drinking water disinfected with chlorine, when consumed by pregnant mothers’ results in brain and heart defects, according to this study published in the journal Environmental Health.
The study was carried out in Taiwan over 400,000 infants. The study authors reveal that the study also indicates exposure to chlorination by-products may be responsible for some specific and common defects. The researchers emphasized that while the benefits of water chlorination are evident as it helps in cutting water-borne diseases; more research needs to be carried out to determine the side-effects.
The research was undertaken by a team of Scientists and doctors, led by Jouni Jaakkola from the Institute of Occupational and Advertisement Medicine, University of Birmingham, UK. Especially, the babies who are born in areas where water is heavily disinfected with chlorine are at double the risk of heart problems, cleft palate or major brain defects.
