With any pregnancy, a woman as a lot of new information to take in, mostly related to caring for herself and her unborn child. Many women are advised to avoid certain foods or to go easy or have them in moderate amounts because of the potential impact on the fetus, as well as the mother’s health. Now reports have surfaced that women are being advised to do without makeup while pregnant.

Concerns have been raised for some time regarding the chemicals used in cosmetics and their possible long term risks. In the EU there have been calls for a new labeling system warning pregnant women not to use certain beauty products.

A recent study showed that women exposed to a lot of hairspray during pregnancy were two times more likely to have babies with a deformity known as hypospadias. This refers to a condition in which the urinary tract ends up on the underside of the penis. The study which was performed by the Imperial College London implied that this birth defect could be traced to chemicals which are used in hairspray. They claim that these chemicals can adversely affect the body’s hormonal system as well as reproductive functions.

Parabens, which are used as preservatives in beauty products, and phthalates, have both raised concerns about the health and safety of cosmetics users. A study done in 2004 suggested that parabens used in deodorants were found in cancerous breast tissue. Phthalates are sometimes used soften plastics, and at high levels have been proven to affect hormones.

It is not always easy to make sense of all these studies that come out, but clearly this one is pretty straightforward and should be taken seriously. Women who still feel the need to wear makeup should try to use less, or have a few makeup free days. There are natural cosmetics on the market which are said to be free of parabens and phthalates, it’s always going to be much healthier to care for your skin organically. If you’re at all concerned about looking beautiful during your pregnancy, remember, it’s only for a few months, and you’re just as beautiful without it.

Another reason to be glad that the days of beehives and Farrah Fawcett flips are over, and women don’t use anywhere near the amount of hairspray we used to.

Women pregnant with a son who used or were exposed to hairspray during the first three months of pregnancy are two to three times likely to have a baby with hypospadias. Hypospadias is a birth defect where the urinary opening in the penis of a baby boy is malformed, and requires corrective surgery. Most milder cases can be completely repaired although severe cases can cause lifelong problems with urinating, sexual relations and fertility.

Hypospadias affects around 1 in 250 baby boys in the US, and the cause is usually unknown. With the results of this study, scientists think that chemicals in hairspray, namely phthalates, a chemical found in many beauty products that has been linked to genital abnormalities in baby boys and girls. Phthalates in hairspray may be more damaging than phthalates on other products because it’s very easy to inhale hairspray, where the phthalates can be absorbed internally.

It’s scary what seemingly innocent products can affect babies. At least we can avoid hairspray quite easily. So if you are pregnant, stay out of the restroom when your colleague with the updo goes in, and perhaps consider changing your hairstyle for something a little less high-maintenance if you are use hairspray on yourself.

Consider it part of the lifestyle transition to when your baby is born. Most new moms don’t have time to maintain anything more elaborate than a ponytail with a newborn!