Bisphenol A - a chemical used to make a wide variety of plastic goods, including most baby bottles, may not be safe. It's called bisphenol-A, or BPA. Tests involving lab rats and mice have shown that even small amounts of exposure to Bisphenol A can lead to a range of serious ailments. Bisphenol A. is found in all kinds of common products, mostly polycarbonate plastics (baby bottles to water cooler jugs, bicycle helmets, CDs and the lining inside tin cans)

Animal studies have linked Bisphenol A to low sperm count, hyperactivity, early puberty, obesity, small testes size, and enlarged prostates.

Three things to know about the study:
* It doesn't actually demonstrate any health hazard. It only looked at the genetic effects of Bisphenol A on mice, and not at whether it caused reproductive problems or deformed embryos.
* The techniques used in the study don't necessarily predict actual harm in animals or humans.
* The study does not show that the effects seen are relevant to humans.

In a recent study, fetal umbilical blood shows higher Bisphenol A levels than was generated in mice. Human exposure levels are already high. More than 90 percent of us have it in our body and the question is: is it safe. Many scientists believe it can act like the hormone estrogen, and animal studies have linked it with breast, prostate and reproductive system problems and some cancers.

Several states are considering restricting Bisphenol A use, some manufacturers have begun promoting Bisphenol A-free baby bottles, and some stores are phasing out baby products containing the chemical.