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Review
. 2024 May 21;16(11):1556.
doi: 10.3390/nu16111556.

Implications of Prenatal Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Offspring Development: A Narrative Review

Juan M Toledano  1   2   3 , Maria Puche-Juarez  1   2   3 , Jorge Moreno-Fernandez  1   2   4 , Patricia Gonzalez-Palacios  2   5 , Ana Rivas  4   5 , Julio J Ochoa  1   2   4 , Javier Diaz-Castro  1   2   4
Affiliations
Review

Implications of Prenatal Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Offspring Development: A Narrative Review

Juan M Toledano et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

During the last decades, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have attracted the attention of the scientific community, as a result of a deepened understanding of their effects on human health. These compounds, which can reach populations through the food chain and a number of daily life products, are known to modify the activity of the endocrine system. Regarding vulnerable groups like pregnant mothers, the potential damage they can cause increases their importance, since it is the health of two lives that is at risk. EDCs can affect the gestation process, altering fetal development, and eventually inducing the appearance of many disorders in their childhood and/or adulthood. Because of this, several of these substances have been studied to clarify the influence of their prenatal exposure on the cognitive and psychomotor development of the newborn, together with the appearance of non-communicable diseases and other disorders. The most novel research on the subject has been gathered in this narrative review, with the aim of clarifying the current knowledge on the subject. EDCs have shown, through different studies involving both animal and human investigation, a detrimental effect on the development of children exposed to the during pregnancy, sometimes with sex-specific outcomes. However, some other studies have failed to find these associations, which highlights the need for deeper and more rigorous research, that will provide an even more solid foundation for the establishment of policies against the extended use of these chemicals.

Keywords: cardiometabolic diseases; endocrine-disrupting chemical; fetal programming; neurodevelopment; newborn; non communicable diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Manuscript selection flowchart.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Summary of the main associations found between EDCs prenatal exposure and obesity. The existence of controversy on the effect due to mixed results is indicated with (≠).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Summary of the main associations found between EDCs prenatal exposure and cardiometabolic alterations (diabetes and cardiovascular health).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Summary of the main associations found between EDCs prenatal exposure and cognitive and psychomotor development.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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