In utero exposure to organochlorines and age at menarche

Vasiliu, Oana

doi:10.1093/humrep/deh292

Cited by 163 publications

(123 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Delayed initiation of breast development was found in girls with higher prenatal dioxin exposure . In several other studies, no significant association was found between exposure to persistent chlorinated compounds and timing of puberty, in girls (Blanck et al, 2000;Gladen et al, 2000;Vasiliu et al, 2004) or in boys (Gladen et al, 2000;Mol et al, 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Internal exposure to pollutants and sexual maturation in Flemish adolescents

Hond

Dhooge

Bruckers

et al. 2010

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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Flanders is densely populated with much industry and intensive farming. Sexual maturation of adolescents (aged 14-15 years) was studied in relation to internal exposure to pollutants. Serum levels of pollutants and sex hormones were measured in 1679 participants selected as a random sample of the adolescents residing in the study areas. Data on sexual development were obtained from the medical school examination files. Self-assessment questionnaires provided information on health, use of medication and lifestyle factors. In boys, serum levels of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), p,p 0 -DDE and polychlorinated biphenyls (sum of marker PCB138, 153 and 180) were significantly and positively associated with pubertal staging (pubic hair and genital development). Higher levels of serum HCB and blood lead were associated with, respectively, a lower and a higher risk of gynecomastia. In girls, significant and negative associations were detected between blood lead and pubic hair development; higher exposure to PCBs was significantly associated with a delay in timing of menarche. Environmental exposures to pollutants at levels actually present in the Flemish population are associated with measurable effects on pubertal development. However, further understanding of toxic mode of action and sensitive windows of exposure is needed to explain the current findings.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Internal exposure to pollutants and sexual maturation in Flemish adolescents

Hond

Dhooge

Bruckers

et al. 2010

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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“…[99][100][101] Early environmental exposures that mimic estrogens, such as bisphenol A, 102 atrazine, 103 and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, 104 may be related to earlier breast development, thereby putting the rapidly proliferating mammary tissue at risk. Chemicals that are associated with early menarche, such as polybrominated biphenyls 105 and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, 106 are also of interest.…”

Section: Breast Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Health Implications of Altered Puberty Timing

et al. 2008

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Changes in puberty timing have implications for the treatment of individual children, for the risk of later adult disease, and for chemical testing and risk assessment for the population. Children with early puberty are at a risk for accelerated skeletal maturation and short adult height, early sexual debut, potential sexual abuse, and psychosocial difficulties. Altered puberty timing is also of concern for the development of reproductive tract cancers later in life. For example, an early age of menarche is a risk factor for breast cancer. A low age at male puberty is associated with an increased risk for testicular cancer according to several, but not all, epidemiologic studies. Girls and, possibly, boys who exhibit premature adrenarche are at a higher risk for developing features of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease later in adulthood. Altered timing of puberty also has implications for behavioral disorders. For example, an early maturation is associated with a greater incidence of conduct and behavior disorders during adolescence. Finally, altered puberty timing is considered an adverse effect in reproductive toxicity risk assessment for chemicals. Recent US legislation has mandated improved chemical testing approaches for protecting children's health and screening for endocrinedisrupting agents, which has led to changes in the US Environmental Protection Agency's risk assessment and toxicity testing guidelines to include puberty-related assessments and to the validation of pubertal male and female rat assays for endocrine screening.

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“…that highly exposed females tended to be younger at menarche (Denham et al 2005). Contradictory to this study, Vasiliu et al (Vasiliu et al 2004) found that in utero exposure to DDE, but not PCB, resulted in reduced age at menopause. However, this effect was no longer statistically significant when adjusted for BMI.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Menarche in women with high exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants in utero and during childhood

Axmon

2006

Environmental Research

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In animal studies, exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) in utero and through mother's milk has been suggested to affect the onset of puberty. However, human studies are scarce and ambiguous. In the present study, information on age at menarche was collected from 545 women who had been brought up in a fishing village/family at the Swedish east coast, off the Baltic Sea, and therefore were assumed to have been exposed to POPs in utero, through breast feeding, and/or through dietary habits during their childhood. The average age at menarche for these women was compared to that of three referent groups: a) 1252 women who also had been brought up in a fishing village/family, but at the Swedish west coast where the fish had been considerably less contaminated, b) 634 women from the east coast, but who had not grown up in a fishing village/family, and c) 869 women from the west coast who had not grown up in a fishing village/family. Based on previous studies, all groups were regarded has having similar socio-economic circumstances. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). In an attempt to account for variations in environmental concentrations of POPs over time, all analyses were adjusted for year of birth. Exposed women were found to be slightly older at menarche than referent women from the same coastal area (mean age 13.0 years vs. 12.8 years). No differences were found between the exposed women and the two other referent groups (mean age 13.0 years in all groups).

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In utero exposure to organochlorines and age at menarche

Abstract: The DDE effect on age at menarche encourages further research about in utero exposures. Prospective studies including the offspring's DDE level before menarche are of particular interest.

Cited by 163 publications

References 61 publications

Internal exposure to pollutants and sexual maturation in Flemish adolescents

Internal exposure to pollutants and sexual maturation in Flemish adolescents

Public Health Implications of Altered Puberty Timing

Menarche in women with high exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants in utero and during childhood

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