Study finds yoga mats could be linked with infertility

Yoga mats are less likely to catch fire thanks to flame retardants, but that might be the same reason why they may mess with your fertility.

A Harvard University study found there may be a link between yoga mats and infertility, thanks to chemicals used in car seats, sofas and other types of polyurethane foam to make it less flammable.

Researchers analyzed urine samples from women undergoing in vitro fertilization at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Centre from 2005 to 2015.

The study revealed the chemicals can migrate from the foam through bodily contact or in the air people breathe.

They found 80 percent of women had traces of the chemical in their urine.

Those with high concentrations of it had a 10 percent reduced probability of successful fertilization and 31 percent reduced probability of implantation of the embryo.

They also had 41 percent less of a chance to achieve pregnancy and were 38 percent less likely to have a live birth.

But don’t freak out. Forbes said the study didn’t look at all factors that could affect women’s fertility and how much these women were exposed to their mats.

They added that the study sampled a very specific location and population and that further research is needed to see how it can affect men.

RELATED: Extremely satisfying images of yoga