US scientists have found the first evidence that common chemicals used in products as diverse as cosmetics, toys, clingfilm and plastic bags may harm the development of unborn baby boys.
High levels of substances called phthalates have gender-bending effects on male animals, making them more feminine and leading to poor sperm quality and infertility. The new study suggests that even normal levels of phthalates, which are ubiquitous, can disrupt the development of male babies' reproductive organs.
The discovery poses a huge problem for the chemical industry, which is already embroiled in a battle with the government over EU proposals on chemical safety.
Several types of phthalates, which are used to make plastics more pliable and have been around for more than 50 years, have been banned, but many are still produced in vast quantities.
The study was carried out by scientists from centers across the US, including the University of Rochester and the National Center for Environmental Health.
The researchers measured levels of nine widely used phthalates in the urine of pregnant women and compared them with standard physiological measurements of their babies.
Tests showed that women with higher levels of four different phthalates were more likely to have baby boys with a range of conditions, from smaller penises and undescended testicles to a shorter perineum, the distance between the genitals and the anus. The differences indicate a feminization of the boys similar to that seen in animals exposed to the chemicals.
Shanna Swan, an obstetrician at the University of Rochester, and lead scientist on the study, said researchers must now unravel what kinds of products are most to blame. One way that phthalates get into the bloodstream is when they seep into food from plastic packaging.
"It's going to take a while to work out which of these sources is most relevant to human exposure," she said.
Although the observed differences in body measurements were subtle, they indicate that what is generally regarded as the most ubiquitous class of chemicals is having a significant effect on newborns.
"Every aspect of male identity is altered when you see this in male animals," said Fred vom Saal, professor of reproductive biology at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Levels of aggression, parenting behavior and even learning speeds were affected, he said.
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