Findings from a prospective, multicenter birth cohort study published in JAMA Pediatrics suggested that maternal exposure to fluorinated water during pregnancy is associated with a decrease the IQ scores of children.

According to Christine Till, PhD, associate professor of psychology at York University in Toronto, and colleagues, a previous meta-analyses of studies conducted mostly in regions with higher water fluoride concentrations showed an association between higher fluoride exposure and reduced intelligence in children, but the link between fluoride exposure through optimally fluorinated water in utero and cognitive deficits is less clear.