When you first discover you’re pregnant, the anticipation of the beautiful life forming inside you is overwhelming, wonderful and terrifying. Keeping your precious cargo safe by avoiding certain foods, products and activities, is most likely at the forefront of your thoughts, especially during those first 12 weeks. A new study suggests that substances called phthalates may cause miscarriages in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.

Researchers tested urine samples from women who suffered from a miscarriage and compared them with those of women who had healthy pregnancies. “They found pregnancy loss was associated with higher levels of urinary phthalate metabolites from diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP).” Though six of these substances have been banned, there are still a number of products (shampoos, soaps, vinyl flooring, etc) that still contain them.

READ MORE: How to Change Your Beauty Routine During Pregnancy