Environmental influences on female fecundity and fertility

Abstract

An increasing body of evidence suggests that environmental exposures are adversely influencing female fecundity and fertility. Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are of particular concern, due to their ability to interfere with the body's hormonal milieu. An overview of the literature regarding the effect of EDCs on female fecundity and fertility end points such as puberty, menstruation, endometriosis, time to pregnancy, pregnancy loss, reproductive senescence, and secondary sex ratio is presented. Methodologic challenges in studying the effects EDCs on sensitive reproductive end points are discussed and include exposure to mixtures, the choice of biologic media in which to measure compounds, laboratory methods, and varying modeling techniques. Also reviewed are novel technologies for home-based biospecimen collection and testing that offer promise for field-based research aimed at addressing questions about environmental influences on female fecundity and fertility.