Oral Presentation ESA-SRB-AOTA 2019

Environmental Epigenetics and Reproductive Compromise  (#29)

Linda Giudice 1
  1. Center for Reproductive Sciences , University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

There has been an alarming global increase in developmental abnormalities, intellectual disabilities, reproductive compromise, respiratory, endocrine and metabolic disorders, and cancer over the past 50-75 years. As this meteoric rise has occurred in a relatively short time-frame, it is unlikely that genetics is their sole cause and likely that environmental factors are significant contributors. Globally, chemicals in agriculture, pesticides, industrial waste, personal care products, household cleaning agents, and nearly ubiquitous plastics, along with particulate matter in indoor and outdoor air pollution are of great concern to human health. Human epidemiologic studies and wildlife, animal studies and laboratory data support plausible causation of these agents in human disease risk. Exposures to environmental toxics at sensitive and critical windows of development have adverse effects on reproductive tract development and function through epigenetic and other mechanisms, resulting in or exacerbating reproductive disorders including, e.g., male and female infertility, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, uterine fibroids, and pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, disadvantaged populations have higher likelihood of living in contaminated communities and higher risk occupations, augmenting their risks of poor reproductive outcomes. This lecture will review relevant data supporting environmental toxics and epigenetic and signaling dysregulation putting world reproduction at risk. It will also highlight how reproductive and other healthcare professionals are positioned to advocate for global solutions to prevent these growing harms to the health of this and future generations.