CHICAGO — Baby shampoos, lotions and powders may expose infants to chemicals that have been linked to possible reproductive problems, a small study suggests.
The chemicals, called phthal ates, are found in many ordinary products such as cosmetics, toys, vinyl flooring and medical supplies. They are used to stabilize fragrances and make plastics flexible.
In the study, they were found in elevated levels in the urine of babies who’d been recently shampooed, powdered or lotioned with baby products.
Phthalates are under attack by some environmental advocacy groups, but experts are uncertain what dangers, if any, they might pose. The federal government doesn’t limit their use, although California and some countries have restricted their use.
Animal studies have suggested that phthalates can cause reproductive birth defects, and some activists believe they may cause reproductive problems in boys and early puberty in girls.
Rigorous scientific evidence in human studies is lacking. The current study offers no direct evidence that products the infants used contained phthal ates and no evidence that the chemicals in the babies’ urine caused any harm. Still, the results worried environmental groups that support restrictions on these chemicals.
“There is an obvious need for laws that force the beauty industry to clean up its act,” said Stacy Malkan of Health Care Without Harm.
The new study, which appears in this month’s issue of the journal Pediatrics, involved 163 babies. Most were white, ages 2 to 28 months and living in California, Minnesota and Missouri.
