Plastic chemicals called phthalates may be quietly damaging male fertility, which is bad news for future generations and for parents who don't know they're exposing their kids.

• Phthalates are found almost everywhere in everyday plastics and products.
• These chemicals can mess with sexual development while a baby is still in the womb.
• Boys exposed before birth may grow up with low fertility or be infertile as adults.
• The scary part is that the child has no control — the mother's exposure during pregnancy sets the damage in motion.
• Even doing everything right as an adult may not undo what happened before birth.

Outlook: Concern is growing that infertility rates in men will keep climbing as long as phthalate exposure stays this widespread.