October 22
,
2012
by: ASRM Office of Public Affairs
Published in ASRM Press Release
Note: All information is embargoed until the time of presentation at the meeting, unless otherwise indicated.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 68th ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE
Embargoed for Release: Monday, October 22, 2012 – 4:15 PM Pacific Daylight TimeExposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Associated with Earlier Age at Menopause
San Diego, CA –In a study to be presented at the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, researchers from Washington University in St. Louis show for the first time the potential effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on ovarian reserve.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the environment can interfere with the synthesis and action of hormones responsible for reproduction and development, however their effects on ovarian function are little known.
Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed, using years 1999-2002 for 5,708 women over 18 years of age who were not pregnant or breastfeeding, not using estrogen therapy and with no bilateral oophorectomy. Data were controlled for race/ethnicity, BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption, childbirth and breastfeeding history. The women’s ages at last menstrual period and their FSH levels were the outcomes associated with endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure as measured in serum or urine. Levels of dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls/persistent pesticide (PCB), phthalate, and phytoestrogen were examined.
The researchers found that women exposed to PCB reported an average age at last menstrual cycle 2.5 years earlier than women not exposed and women exposed to phthalates reported their last periods at an average age 2.3 years earlier than non-exposed women.
Linda Giudice, MD, PhD, President-elect of ASRM, noted, “Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are pervasive in our environment and we do not yet know their full impact on human health and reproduction. Studies like this give additional reason to advise patients to take what steps they can to minimize their exposures.”
O-101 Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Lead to Earlier Age of Menopause: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the US Population-Based NHANES Database
N.M. Grindler et al.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, founded in 1944, is an organization of more than 7,000 physicians, researchers, nurses, technicians and other professionals dedicated to advancing knowledge and expertise in reproductive biology. Affiliated societies include the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology, the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, the Society of Reproductive Surgeons and the Society of Reproductive Biologists and Technologists.
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