First, baby cosmetics and now baby bottles. There is a new concern among parents regarding baby bottles, which might contain toxic substances. A new study has drawn attention upon the fact that when baby bottles are exposed to heat, they release a chemical that could cause obesity, diabetes and developmental problems in lab animals, researches say. American parents have now another reason to panic, as they fear that their children’s health might be at risk.

This chemical is called bisphenol A or BPA, which is a synthetic hormone that mixes with the milk and gets into the babies’ bodies. It is used for the manufacturing of plastic in 95 percent of baby bottles currently on the market, according to the study sponsor, Work Group for Safe Markets.

Numerous environmental health organizations in the United States and Canada are calling the suspension of the use of BPA in making food and beverage plastic containers.

However, it is still uncertain whether the chemical is harmful or not.

Steve Hentges of the American Chemical Council said that the chemical has been used safely for decades, ABC News reports.

His opinion is shared by the Food and Drug Administration, which approved the baby bottles and said that “adverse effects occur in animals only when they are exposed to far higher levels of the chemical than possible from a baby bottle.”

Dr. Maida Galvez is a pediatrician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, and studies the effects of the BPA traces found in children’s urine.

“We know the animal studies raise concerns, but there aren't human studies showing effects yet ... so, when we don't have the evidence, what we recommend is that parents try to err on the side of caution,” she says.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BPA was found in the bodies of 95 percent of the Americans tested. Moreover, a recent study found that BPA levels are lowest in adults, mid-range in adolescents and highest in children, CBS News reported.

The Massachusetts Senate passed a bill according to which toxic chemicals, like BPA, should be replaced with safer substances, when it is possible. The bill is under debate.

Meanwhile, parents can use glass bottles or BPA-free bottles, which are available at Whole Foods and CVS, according to Boston Chanel.com.