It's not only the people who can take a pill and avoid having babies, as a new government report has shown that the hormones in birth control and a common plastics component can impact the fertility of fish also.

The research, conducted by the US Geological Survey, was published in the journal Scientific Reports. It has found that fish embryos exposure to 'estrogenic chemicals' in a laboratory setting can later lead to 'a note worthy reduction in the fertilization rate in offspring two generations'.

After three generations, the researchers wrote that they also saw a reduction of embryo survival in offspring.

The study authors wrote, "These adverse outcomes may have negative impacts on populations of fish inhabiting contaminated aquatic environments".

It is not the first time that human birth control hormones have been implicated for their affect on aquatic systems. However, till now, the 'transgenerational consequences' of the chemicals were not well researched.

In a statement, USGS visiting scientist Ramji Bhandari, who is a professor at the University of Missouri, said that this study has shown that even though endocrine disruptors may not affect the life of the exposed fish, but it may have a negative impact on future generations.

The fishes were exposed to a higher level of bisphenol A and 17a-ethinylestradiol in the lab, as compared to its concentration present in the environment.

But according to the scientists their findings have confirmed the concern over the affects that the chemicals could have on aquatic life.

Bisphenol A is a common chemical that is used in plastic manufacturing, whereas 17a-ethinylestradiol is specifically a hormone in oral contraceptives, and around 68% of it is excreted by the person taking it.

The researchers wrote that, in future, investigation should be done on transgenerational affects of these compounds in a natural fish population.