Association of Preterm Birth and Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

Abstract

Several studies in recent years have shown that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can exert deleterious effects within several systems of the human body, such as the immune, neurological, and reproductive systems, among others. This review aims to summarize the investigations into the effect of EDC exposure on reproductive systems, namely preterm birth (PTB), and the efforts that international organizations have made to curb the harmful results of EDC exposure. To gather information, PubMed was initially searched for relevant articles containing the following terms: endocrine disrupting chemicals; preterm birth. PubMed was subsequently used to identify articles discussing the association between preterm birth and specific EDC exposures (BPA; phthalates; organochlorine pesticides; organophosphate pesticides; lead; PBDE; preterm birth). Both searches, limited to articles published within the past 20 years, identified several publications that have examined the association between various EDCs and PTB. While the findings of the studies differed, collectively they revealed sufficient evidence of a potential association between EDC exposure and risk of PTB. Thus, international organizations such as the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and World Health Organization (WHO) should continue to limit EDC exposure across the globe and monitor levels among individuals of reproductive age.