News by Subject

Stress impact on male fertility

(BBC 21/10/2009)

Exposure to a combination of excess stress hormones and chemicals while in the womb could affect a man's fertility in later life, a new study suggests. Edinburgh University experts looked at the effect of stress hormones combined with a common chemical used in glues, paints and plastics. They found the combination increased the likelihood of birth defects. These include cryptorchidism, when the testes fail to drop, and hypospadias, when the urinary tract is not aligned.

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Pregnant women warned off make-up amid growing fears of harm to unborn babies

(Daily Mail 30/11/2008)

The French government announced last week that the country's health authorities were considering a labelling system for cosmetics that would indicate whether or not products were safe for pregnant women. But the UK government said that the EU should address the issue as a whole, adding it to a range of changes currently being made to the European Cosmetics Directive.

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Hairspray linked to birth defect

(BBC 21/11/2008)

Imperial College London scientists talked to women who had babies with hypospadias, where the urinary tract is found away from the penis. They reported that hairspray exposure more than doubled the risk. The study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, said it was too early to say for certain that hairspray was the cause [more research required].

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