Pregnant moms warned to stay out of the pool

Published Apr 4, 2002

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Paris - Swimming is great exercise for pregnant women, but possibly fatal for their unborn babies.

The high levels of chemicals used in pools have been linked to miscarriage and foetal damage, a British study published on Thursday said.

Samples taken from eight indoor pools in London were found to have relatively high levels of chlorine by-products called trihalomethanes (THMs).

THMs are created when chlorine, added to water to kill infection-causing bacteria, reacts with organic matter such as sweat, dust, and skin cells.

High levels of THMs were implicated in previous research with miscarriage, low birth-weight and foetal spine deformation.

The new study, conducted by the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, found that total organic matter in pool water was three times higher than in tapwater.

Levels of chloroform, the most common THM, which has been classified as a potential cancer agent, were 20 times higher.

As a precaution, chlorination concentrations in pools should be reduced "as far as possible", provided pool hygiene is maintained, the scientists said.

THMs vaporise from the water into the air, which means they can be breathed in by a swimmer as well as ingested through swallowing or absorbed by the skin. The harder the exercise, the more THMs are inhaled. - Sapa-AP

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