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Fish, a low-calorie protein rich in omega-3 fatty acids critical for a baby’s brain<br />

development, can also be contaminated with high levels <strong>of</strong> methylmercury.<br />

When Dr. Darragh Flynn sits down with her pregnant patients, she<br />

preaches healthy habits: Don’t smoke or drink, eat nutritious foods and<br />

take vitamins.<br />

She also advises <strong>the</strong>m to avoid gasoline fumes, pesticides, certain<br />

types <strong>of</strong> fish and some household cleaners and cosmetics.<br />

“It's only for nine months,” she tells <strong>the</strong>m. “Let someone else put gas<br />

in <strong>the</strong> car.”<br />

But Flynn is in <strong>the</strong> minority. A new nationwide survey <strong>of</strong> 2,600<br />

obstetricians and gynecologists found that most do not warn <strong>the</strong>ir pregnant<br />

patients about chemicals in food, consumer products or <strong>the</strong> environment<br />

that could endanger <strong>the</strong>ir fetuses. More than half said <strong>the</strong>y don’t warn<br />

about mercury, and hardly any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m give advice about lead, pesticides,<br />

air pollution or chemicals in plastics or cosmetics.

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