Science
Related: About this forumPrenatal exposure to phthalates is associated with decreased anogenital distance and penile size in male newborns
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
Abstract
Reproductive effects from phthalate exposure have been documented mostly in animal studies. This study explored the association between prenatal exposure to phthalate metabolites, anogenital distance and penile measurements in male newborns in Toluca, State of Mexico. A total of 174 pregnant women provided urine samples for phthalate analysis during their last prenatal visit, and the 73 who gave birth to male infants were included in the study. The 73 male newborns were weighed and measured using standardized methods after delivery. After adjusting for creatinine and supine length at birth, significant inverse associations were observed between an index of prenatal exposure to total phthalate exposure and the distance from the anus to anterior base of the penis (β = −0.191 mm per 1 µg/l, P = 0.037), penile width (β = −0.0414, P = 0.050) and stretched length (β = −0.2137, P = 0.034); prenatal exposure to mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate exposure was associated with a reduction in the stretched length of the penis (β = −0.2604, P = 0.050). Human exposure to phthalates is a public health concern, and the system most vulnerable to its potential effects seems to be the immature male reproductive tract.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3862078/
Publisher's version with references:
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-developmental-origins-of-health-and-disease/article/abs/prenatal-exposure-to-phthalates-is-associated-with-decreased-anogenital-distance-and-penile-size-in-male-newborns/57DFA15A7D13A18419CF57D8A03AC5AC
sinkingfeeling
(58,184 posts)TommyT139
(2,457 posts)...all concerned about falling birth rates, "manliness," yadda yadda...yet unwilling to regulate and restrict production of environmental toxins and hormone disruptors, even in foods and beverages.
littlemissmartypants
(35,048 posts)Gutting social, emotional, and financial support for maternal health at every step in the process.