Another day and another study about the negative effects of BPA. This time, researchers have found that the widely used chemical may cause behavior and emotional problems in little girls.

 

According to a study published this week in the journal Pediatrics, little girls who were exposed to high levels of BPA while in the womb may show signs of hyperactivity, aggression, anxiety and depression. For the study, researchers tested 244 pregnant women and their 3-year-old children for BPA exposure. They found that when the mothers' BPA levels were high, the little girls were more likely to show problems at the age of 3. Interestingly, the behavioral and emotional problems were not noted in little boys whose mothers had high levels of BPA.  

 

The results were based on three urine samples from the mother — two during pregnancy and one at birth as well as urine samples from their children taken at ages 1, 2 and 3. The mothers completed surveys about their children’s behavior at age 3.

 

Why would prenatal BPA exposure effect little girls so profoundly? One theory is that the chemical's estrogen-mimicking properties lead to the development of more testosterone in little girls.