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Review
. 2024 Mar 8;40(1):97-114.
doi: 10.1515/reveh-2023-0159. Print 2025 Mar 26.

Phthalates and uterine disorders

Shuhong Yang  1 , Shuhao Yang  1 , Aiyue Luo  1
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Phthalates and uterine disorders

Shuhong Yang et al. Rev Environ Health. .
Free article

Abstract

Humans are ubiquitously exposed to environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals such as phthalates. Phthalates can migrate out of products and enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, or dermal application, can have potential estrogenic/antiestrogenic and/or androgenic/antiandrogenic activity, and are involved in many diseases. As a female reproductive organ that is regulated by hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and androgen, the uterus can develop several disorders such as leiomyoma, endometriosis and abnormal bleeding. In this review, we summarize the hormone-like activities of phthalates, in vitro studies of endometrial cells exposed to phthalates, epigenetic modifications in the uterus induced by phthalate exposure, and associations between phthalate exposure and uterine disorders such as leiomyoma and endometriosis. Moreover, we also discuss the current research gaps in understanding the relationship between phthalate exposure and uterine disorders.

Keywords: endometrial cells; endometriosis; leiomyoma; phthalates; uterine disorders.

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