Experts Warn of BPA Risks in Plastic Containers During Pregnancy Planning to Prevent Early Puberty

Preventing early puberty must begin from the pregnancy planning stage, including reducing exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) from reusable water bottles and food and beverage plastic packaging. During Raditya Dika’s podcast titled ‘Consequences of Early Puberty’, obstetrics and gynaecology expert Professor Budi Wiweko stressed that pregnancies must be planned. ‘Pregnancy planning must be intentional. It’s no longer acceptable to conceive by chance; it must be planned,’ he said. Also known as Prof. Iko, the expert explained that exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals must be avoided before and during pregnancy, particularly in the early stages. He cited BPA as one of the substances requiring attention. ‘During the first three months of pregnancy, exposure to these chemicals must be avoided,’ he said. BPA from water bottles is not only linked to children’s consumption habits but also family preparedness before the child’s birth. Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) has set a maximum migration limit of 0.6 parts per million (mg/kg) in food packaging. Prof. Iko then explained the Indonesian Obstetrics and Gynaecology Association’s (POGI) ‘Save Indonesian Women’ programme. He stated that women’s health must be addressed from the source to the end. ‘Save Indonesian Women starts from the source to the end, beginning with pregnancy planning,’ he said. He added that preparation should not begin only after birth. ‘I disagree with the ’first 1,000 days of life’ concept; it should start 100 days before conception, including BPA and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals,’ he said. Exposure risks are also linked to children’s future reproductive health. Prof. Iko stated that pregnant women exposed to hormone-disrupting chemicals in the first trimester pose risks to their unborn child, citing conditions such as endometriosis cysts, chocolate cysts, PCOS, and cancer as concerns to watch for. From a psychological perspective, psychologist Ratih Zulhaqqi noted that preventing early puberty is also tied to parental readiness. ‘Early puberty isn’t just an issue during puberty; it starts much earlier, when they become parents,’ she said. Ratih said parents must understand their children’s basic needs beyond schooling, emphasising sleep schedules, meal times, and diet—including avoiding substances like BPA. Therefore, preventing early puberty must be a continuous family effort. From pregnancy planning through gestation and parenting, parents should monitor exposure sources from food and beverage packaging, including water bottles. Choosing BPA-free containers is one step to reduce environmental exposure affecting children’s hormonal and reproductive health.