lifestyle-and-environment/environmental-exposures/endocrine-disrupting-chemicals research-methods/evidence-synthesis/systematic-reviews
Prada D et al., 2025 · Environmental health : a global access science source
Acetaminophen is the most commonly used over-the-counter pain and fever medication taken during pregnancy, with > 50% of pregnant women using acetaminophen worldwide. Numerous well-designed studies have indicated that pregnant mothers exposed to acetaminophen have children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), at higher rates than children of pregnant mothers who were not exposed to acetaminophen. We applied the Navigation Guide methodology to the scientific literature to comprehensively and objectively examine the association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and NDDs and related symptomology in offspring. We conducted a systematic PubMed search through February 25, 2025, using predefined inclusion criteria and rated studies based on risk of bias and strength of evidence. Due to substantial heterogeneity, we opted for a qualitative synthesis, consistent with the Navigation Guide's focus on environmental health evidence. We identified 46 studies for inclusion in our analysis. Of these, 27 studies reported positive associations (significant links to NDDs), 9 showed null associations (no significant link), and 4 indicated negative associations (protective effects). Higher-quality studies were more likely to show positive associations. Overall, the majority of the studies reported positive associations of prenatal acetaminophen use with ADHD, ASD, or NDDs in offspring, with risk-of-bias and strength-of-evidence ratings informing the overall synthesis. Our analyses using the Navigation Guide thus support evidence consistent with an association between acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy and increased incidence of NDDs. Appropriate and immediate steps should be taken to advise pregnant women to limit acetaminophen consumption to protect their offspring's neurodevelopment.
genetics-and-immunology/reproductive-genetics/epigenetics lifestyle-and-environment/environmental-exposures/endocrine-disrupting-chemicalspregnancy/pregnancy-complications/hypertensive-disorders
Johnson J et al., 2025 · Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
The human placenta plays an important role in pregnancy and offspring health. The paternal genome contributes significantly to placental growth and development. While the maternal factors affecting gestational health are thoroughly investigated, the paternal factors are often overlooked. Thus, it is important to understand various paternal factors affecting placental development and function. To assess the effect of various paternal factors on placental development, function, and pregnancy-related disorders. This review was registered in PROSPERO (Registration number CRD420250634649). Literatures across databases like JSTOR, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed were screened through a set of criteria. Forty-eight studies were selected that included low-to-moderate risk paternal factors like age, smoking, race/ethnicity/location, genetic, epigenetic factors, exposure to chemicals, seminal plasma, and lifestyle factors. Increased paternal age was reported to contribute towards higher risks of preeclampsia, spontaneous abortions, preterm birth, stillbirth, and higher placental and fetal birth weight. Paternal smoking, on the other hand, was found to be an associated risk factor for placental abruption and stillbirth. Exposure to various chemicals was found to be associated with changes in sperm epigenome and placental dysfunction. Discussion and Paternal health, lifestyle, and exposure to chemicals may affect placental development and pregnancy. Paternal factors may alter seminal plasma proteome, cytokine profile, and abnormal sperm DNA methylation of imprinted genes which is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Pre-conceptional health assessment of prospective fathers might be helpful in ensuring optimal placental development in pregnancies to follow, in addition to newborn health.
lifestyle-and-environment/environmental-exposures/endocrine-disrupting-chemicals
Wang S et al., 2025 · Journal of Hazardous Materials
Currently, there is limited information regarding the presence of chemicals in female underwear and the potential risks involved. This study investigated the levels of ten bisphenols in brassieres and briefs made in China, revealing total concentrations ranging from 13.9 to 52,967 ng/g. Bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol A (BPA) made up a median of 53.2 %, 24.4 %, and 22.2 % of the total concentrations, respectively. The concentrations of bisphenols were significantly higher in darker samples compared to most other colors. When compared to previous reports on other textiles, this study found similar levels of BPA but higher concentrations of BPF and BPS. Furthermore, the median migration rates of BPF (39.1 %) and BPS (25.2 %) in artificial sweat were significantly greater than that of BPA (6.58 %), leading to higher exposure levels for BPF and BPS. The estimated non-carcinogenic risks associated with the three primary bisphenols in the underwear were deemed acceptable. However, the estimated exposure to BPS and BPF from this source represented about 2.53-12.0 % and 11.8-38.2 % of total human exposure, respectively, suggesting that the contamination of these chemicals in underwear is a concern that should not be overlooked.
lifestyle-and-environment/environmental-exposures/endocrine-disrupting-chemicals
Paramasivam A et al., 2024 · Journal of xenobiotics
Processed foods, accounting for most consumable food categories today, contain considerable amounts of food additives. Food additives are substances added to food products to improve taste, consistency, appearance, or shelf life. Various food additives, such as phthalates, bisphenol A, tartrazine, erythrosine, artificial sweeteners, and parabens, have been identified as potential sources of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in processed foods. EDCs are substances that frequently interfere with the regular functioning of the endocrine system, creating an unusual environment in the biological system, which leads to adverse health effects such as the disruption of hormone synthesis, receptor binding, and signal transduction pathways, as well as energy metabolic homeostatic disorders which potentially increasing the risk of obesity, type-2 diabetes, cardiometabolic diseases and may also trigger allergic reactions. Consequently, they can also impact mammary gland development, and reproductive function, further leading to developmental abnormalities. This review aims to insights into the various food additives that act as potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and to describe their applications in the food industry, as well as the failure of hormonal homeostatic mechanisms, which eventually result in hazardous health effects. It also outlines strategies to reduce the use of food additives and suggests alternative additives with minimal or no endocrine-disrupting properties, highlighting their importance for maintaining human health.