Does propylparaben in lotion during pregnancy hurt a daughter's future fertility?
Possibly. A 2025 mouse study found propylparaben during pregnancy lowered ovarian reserve in daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters.
What's actually in it
Propylparaben is a preservative in lotions, shampoos, makeup, body wash, and many "natural" beauty products. It mimics estrogen, so it binds to hormone receptors that should only be taking real signals. The skin absorbs it quickly, and during pregnancy, it crosses the placenta.
Ovarian reserve is the supply of eggs a woman is born with. Once it's spent, that's it. If something during pregnancy shrinks the daughter's ovarian reserve, that daughter has fewer eggs for life.
What the research says
A 2025 study in Nat Commun exposed pregnant mice to propylparaben at doses relevant to human use, then followed three generations of female offspring. Daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters all had smaller ovarian reserves than unexposed controls. The change was tied to DNA methylation shifts that got passed down, a mechanism called transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.
Mice aren't people, but the estrogen-receptor system works the same way. And the effect showed up at real-world doses, not just high lab doses.
Paraben-free labels are common now. Check for methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben on ingredient lists, and swap out lotions and shampoos used daily during pregnancy.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Transgenerational inheritance of diminished ovarian reserve triggered by prenatal propylparaben exposure in mice. | Nat Commun | 2025 |
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