Pregnant women are being urged to stop using perfumes and scented
creams after research suggested the products could cause unborn boys to
suffer infertility or cancer later in life.
Research on rats has found the reproductive system of male fetuses
could be as early as eight weeks into gestation by chemicals found in
those cosmetics.
There appears to be a "time window" of eight to twelve weeks'
gestation when certain hormones in the fetus are activated and the male
reproductive system comes into being. Future male fertility problems,
including undescended testicles, low sperm count and the risk of
testicular cancer, could be caused during this period if hormones such
as testosterone do not work properly.