It is well established fact that stressful pregnancy could lead to health problems for both child and the mother. Recent study indicated that exposure to stress hormone in womb not only has negative effect on growth of the child it could also negatively affects fertility of male child.

Research team from the University of Edinburgh found that combination of stress hormone along with the chemical compound dibutyl phthalate, commonly present in glues, paints and plastics, could harm the male reproductive system subsequently leading to risk of reproductive birth defects.

Research team used animal models to study impact of stress hormone and exposure to dibutyl phthalate during pregnancy. It was found that exposure to chemical compound dibutyl phthalate does affect reproductive development of child in womb. But its effect greatly amplified when it was combined with stress hormone.

The researchers led by Dr Mandy Drake, at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Cardiovascular Science said that some of the common birth defects included a condition called as cryptorchidism, where the testes fail to drop. Another common defect noted was hypospadias, where the urinary tract is wrongly aligned.