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BPA may increase the risk of asthma in children, according to a recent study.

BPA is a chemical often used in the manufacture of hard, clear plastics like water and baby bottles. You will also find BPA in resins used to line cans of food, beverages and infant formula. Exposure to BPA has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, birth defects, and hormonal issues. BPA use in products for young children has been banned in many countries as well as in three U.S. states.

Researchers gave pregnant mice BPA for a week before they gave birth to create a similar BPA level in the mice as pregnant U.S. women have. After the mice babies were born, the researchers exposed the pups of these mice to a common allergy inducer. They then compared responses of mice who had not been exposed to BPA in utero to the mice who had been exposed. They found a greater asthma reaction in the BPA-exposed mice.