sep 14 
Question by charlotte
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i understand that san francisco tap water contains fluoride. i am pregnant, and have a 20 month old son. we both drink a lot of tap water. it is filtered through our refrigerator filter, but i don't believe that filters out fluoride. should i buy a filter that does filter out fluoride? which would you recommend? in the meantime, should i drink bottled water, such as trader joes spring water?
2. i am pregnant, and was on a boat every day for 10 days before i knew i was pregnant. is it possible i breathed in the diesel fuel and that could be damaging to the baby?
thank you!
Comments (1) |  |
1. 09/21/2007 09:18:15 AM
Bottled water isn’t any safer or cleaner than tap water – in fact, tap water is more strictly regulated than bottled water. Check to see what kind of water filter you have on the refrigerator and make sure it’s certified to remove the contaminants you’re concerned about. In San Francisco city water the main health concern during pregnancy may actually be disinfection byproducts, which are reduced by many charcoal filters. Filters that are certified as meeting NSF/ANSI standard 53 treat water for health reasons, not just taste. The NSF certification program provides some assurance that at least some claims made by the manufacturer have been verified. You can learn more about different types of filters by reading NRDC's Consumer Guide to Water Filters.
The EPA’s standard for fluoride in drinking water is 4 ppm but the optimal concentration is 0.7–1.2 ppm. Because you’re pregnant, you may also want to have your water tested for lead. Lead can leach into water from old pipes so contamination levels can vary widely from home to home. The only way to know if there’s lead in your tap water is to test for it. Kits can be purchased for around $25. Be sure to test your tap water first thing in the morning before running the faucet.
Regarding your question about being on a boat, it’s a tough one to answer since it depends on the levels of air pollutants on the boat. Above-deck there is usually ample ventilation and hazardous exposures are very unlikely. Below-deck it is possible for hazardous pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides to accumulate; but that depends on the space, the engine, and other factors that would need to be measured. So it is not really possible to answer your question about health risks to the baby. If you’re worried, it’s best to mention the concern to your ob/gyn. My general advice is to look forward rather than backward, and to focus on bringing your baby into a healthy environment.
The EPA’s standard for fluoride in drinking water is 4 ppm but the optimal concentration is 0.7–1.2 ppm. Because you’re pregnant, you may also want to have your water tested for lead. Lead can leach into water from old pipes so contamination levels can vary widely from home to home. The only way to know if there’s lead in your tap water is to test for it. Kits can be purchased for around $25. Be sure to test your tap water first thing in the morning before running the faucet.
Regarding your question about being on a boat, it’s a tough one to answer since it depends on the levels of air pollutants on the boat. Above-deck there is usually ample ventilation and hazardous exposures are very unlikely. Below-deck it is possible for hazardous pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides to accumulate; but that depends on the space, the engine, and other factors that would need to be measured. So it is not really possible to answer your question about health risks to the baby. If you’re worried, it’s best to mention the concern to your ob/gyn. My general advice is to look forward rather than backward, and to focus on bringing your baby into a healthy environment.
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