Breast milk study does not show what is claimed say experts

A new study "Human Breast Milk Contamination with Phthalates and Alterations of Endoenous Reproductive Hormones in Infants Three Months of Age" claims to show a statistical link between the amount of phthalates found in breast milk and the levels of sex hormones in babies.

The Danish researcher Katharina Main and co-authors of the study which was published online by Environmental Health Perspectives on September 7th, 2005 and in Environmental Health Perspectives vol 114 issue 2 (2006) 270-276 suggest that the link shows that phthalates affect the reproductive hormones in baby boys.

The study has been reviewed by toxicology experts for ECPI who believe it is of very poor quality, the findings are highly speculative and that they do not show what is being claimed.

ECPI critique of the study (February 2 2006)