(Reuters Health) – Mothers who use beauty products containing chemicals known as parabens during pregnancy may be more likely to have overweight daughters, a small study suggests. Parabens are often used in beauty products because they have antimicrobial properties and can also act as a preservative. The chemicals can cross through the skin and seep into the body, and some previous research also suggests that parabens in products used by pregnant women can impact babies’ development. The study wasn’t designed to prove whether or how prenatal exposure to parabens might directly impact weight gain in children. This is particularly true if women know they’re having girls, because the weight gain associated with parabens appeared to impact females, not males, Claudio said by email.

Source: National Post February 11, 2020 22:30 UTC