Consumption of beef by women during pregnancy may alter a male's in utero testicular development and compromise his future reproductive capacity, researchers here reported.

The reason could be residual anabolic steroids in the meat, Shanna Swan, Ph.D., of the University of Rochester (N.Y.), and colleagues, reported online in the March 28 issue of Human Reproduction.

In a study of 387 fertile partners of pregnant women, men whose mothers reported eating more than seven beef meals a week while pregnant, had a sperm concentration more than 24% lower than that of men whose mothers ate less beef, they found.

In addition, three times more sons of high-beef consumers had a sperm concentration that would be classified as subfertile according to World Health Organization standards, compared with men whose mothers ate less beef, said Dr. Swan and colleagues.

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