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Women who take over-the-counter painkillers during pregnancy increase the risk of boys having lower sperm counts.

Women taking painkillers - including asprin, paracetamol and ibuprofen - are more prone to have boys with low testosterone and inactive sperm.

Simultaneous use of more than one painkiller between weeks 13 to 28 increased the risk 16-fold, a study in journal Human Reproduction shows.

Researchers said the rise in use caused an increase in "reproductive issues".