Baby Products Expose Infants to Chemicals

Common baby products may be exposing infants to dangerous chemicals called phthalates, a new study shows. The presence of the substances in infants' urine was linked with the use of baby lotions, powder, and shampoo. Experts don't know the long-term health consequences, but "there is a large body of animal studies to suggest developmental and reproductive toxicity" from phthalates, a doctor tells Reuters.

"We found that reported use of baby lotion, baby shampoo, and baby powder was associated with increased concentrations" of the chemicals, says the doctor, who worked on the study. The US government doesn't require products including phthalates to carry markings on their packages, so avoiding the chemicals can be difficult. (More phthalates stories.)