A2 Refereed review article in a scientific journal

Impact of exposure to endocrine disrupters in utero and in childhood on adult reproduction




AuthorsNorgil Damgaard I, Main KM, Toppari J, Skakkebaek NE

Publication year2002

JournalBest Practice and Research: Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

Journal name in sourceBest practice & research. Clinical endocrinology & metabolism

Journal acronymBest Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab

Volume16

Issue2

First page 289

Last page309

Number of pages21

ISSN1521-690X

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1053/beem.2002.0205


Abstract
Recent reports have demonstrated a decline in human male reproductive health: high and probably increasing prevalence of cryptorchidism and hypospadias, low and probably decreasing semen quality, a rising incidence of testicular cancer and a growing demand for assisted reproduction. These changes seem to be interrelated and may be symptoms of a common underlying entity, the testicular dysgenesis syndrome, with foundations in fetal life due to adverse environmental influences. Wildlife experience and animal studies have provided evidence that fetal or perinatal exposure to endocrine disrupters results in disturbed sexual differentiation and urogenital malformations followed by decreased reproductive health in adult life. This chapter reviews existing evidence for a connection between (i) exposure to endocrine disrupters in fetal life and childhood and (ii) adult reproductive health in humans. This topic is not only relevant to basic scientists but also to clinical endocrinologists, who should also be encouraged to participate in research concerning this problem.



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