A new study suggests that in utero exposure to certain plastics may change behaviour in boys, making them less masculine.

Researchers at the University of Rochester examined the play habits of children aged 4 to 7 years old.

The mothers of 145 youngsters had previously volunteered to be tested during pregnancy. Those boys born to women with higher levels of exposure to phthalates were less likely to play with toys like guns or trucks, or exhibit play behaviour typical of their gender, such as roughhousing or participating in sports.

"(The results) say to me that these phthalates have the ability to alter brain development in utero," said Dr. Shanna Swan, the lead researcher.

The affected boys did not display feminine qualities, such as increased play with dolls. Instead, they acted in ways less typically masculine than peers whose mothers were not exposed to high levels of phthalates during pregnancy.

"They're playing in more gender neutral ways – the sports were quite neutral, for instance," said Swan. "What it does suggest is that (the effects) could manifest in other ways – in verbal ability, in spatial ability and so on, which are also sexually dimorphic (i.e. different depending on gender)."

Phthalates are so-called plasticizers – a chemical compound added to commercial plastic to make it more pliable or translucent. The phthalates examined in Swan's study – DEHP and DEB – can be found in commonly used flooring products, PVC shower curtains, and a variety of textiles and dyes found in many homes.

Phthalate use in toys has been banned in the EU for several years, and restricted in the U.S.

Swan believes that the main source of phthalate exposure for the women in her study was through food – either through the packaging of processed foods or storing and heating of food in plastic containers. She suggests that if women are concerned about these findings, they may want to change their eating habits during pregnancy.

"A pretty easy thing to do would be to switch to using glass (containers) for storage and heating," Swan said.

Previous testing by Swan and her team suggests that the effect on men is physical as well as behavioural. Boys born to women with high phthalate levels had smaller penises, for instance, a result also borne out by animal studies. There were no discernible effects on girls in the study.

The testing instrument was a questionnaire called the Pre-School Activities Inventory, a tool used to determine typical behaviour in young children.

More on this topic:

Plastic exposure in pregnancy linked to aggressive girls

Bisphenol A can build up in babies, scientists warn

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