Updated July 01, 2014.

Question: Can Black Mold Cause Miscarriage?

Answer:

You may be familiar with the possible health risks posed by having black mold and other toxic molds in your home. Simply put, the stuff is bad news. Molds can cause severe allergies and asthma, and there's some evidence that children may be especially susceptible; some studies even implicate toxic black mold in some SIDS cases.

The link between toxic molds, such as Stachybotrys and Aspergillus, and miscarriage is less clear, however.

Numerous anecdotal reports exist supporting a link between mold toxins and pregnancy loss, and some animal studies indicate that mold toxins can disrupt fetal development. Currently, however, there is no scientific evidence that toxic mold exposure during pregnancy can cause miscarriage or stillbirth specifically.

Having no research on the link between toxic mold and miscarriage doesn't mean it's safe to expose yourself, though. Future research could indeed find that mold toxins increase pregnancy loss risk. Given the known health risks of black mold in your home, it is prudent to do what you can to reduce your exposure as soon as is possible.

<sub>Sources:

Centers for Disease Control, "Facts about Stachybotrys Chartarum and Other Molds." Environmental Hazards & Health Effects. Accessed 20 Jul 2008.

Learning Disabilities Association of America, "Exposure to Toxic Molds." Healthy Children Project. Accessed 20 Jul 2008.

Schoental, R., "Mycotoxins and fetal abnormalities." International Journal of Environmental Studies. May 1981. Accessed 20 Jul 2008.</sub>