Mixtures of urinary concentrations of phenols and phthalate biomarkers in relation to the ovarian reserve among women attending a fertility clinic

Follicular Fluid Metabolomics: Tool for Predicting IVF Outcomes of Different Infertility Causes

Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples at child-bearing ages and assisted reproductive technologies (ART), especially in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET), provided infertile patients with an effective solution. The current paradox is that multiple embryo transfer that may leads to severe obstetric and perinatal complications seems to be the most valid measure to secure high success rate in the majority of clinic centers. Therefore, to avoid multiple transfer of embryos, it is urgent to explore biomarkers for IVF prognosis to select high-quality oocytes and embryos. Follicular fluid (FF), a typical biofluid constituted of the plasma effusion and granulosa-cell secretion, provides essential intracellular substances for oocytes maturation and its variation in composition reflects oocyte developmental competence and embryo viability. With the advances in metabolomics methodology, metabolomics, as an accurate and sensitive analyzing method, has been utilized to explore predictors in FF for ART success. Although FF metabolomics has provided a great possibility for screening markers with diagnostic and predictive value, its effectiveness is still doubted by some researchers. This may be resulted from the ignorance of the impact of sterility causes on the FF metabolomic profiles and thus its predictive ability might not be rightly illustrated. Therefore, in this review, we categorically demonstrate the study of FF metabolomics according to specific infertility causes, expecting to reveal the predicting value of metabolomics for IVF outcomes.

Impact of DEHP exposure on female reproductive health: Insights into uterine effects

Several endocrine disrupting compounds released from plastics, including polyfluoroalkyl substances, bisphenols, flame retardants, phthalates and others, are of great concern to human health due to their high toxicity. This review discusses the effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), the most common member of the phthalate family, on female reproduction. In vitro and in vivo studies link DEHP exposure to impaired hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian s (HPO) axis function, alteration of steroid-hormone levels and dysregulation of their receptors, and changes in uterine morphophysiology. In addition, high urinary DEPH levels have been associated with several reproductive disorders in women, including endometriosis, fibromyoma, fetal growth restriction and pregnancy loss. These data suggest that DEHP may be involved in the pathophysiology of various female reproductive diseases. Therefore, exposure to these compounds should be considered a concern in clinician surveillance practices for women at reproductive age and should be regulated to protect their health and that of their progeny.

The adverse role of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the reproductive system

Reproductive system diseases pose prominent threats to human physical and mental well-being. Besides being influenced by genetic material regulation and changes in lifestyle, the occurrence of these diseases is closely connected to exposure to harmful substances in the environment. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), characterized by hormone-like effects, have a wide range of influences on the reproductive system. EDCs are ubiquitous in the natural environment and are present in a wide range of industrial and everyday products. Currently, thousands of chemicals have been reported to exhibit endocrine effects, and this number is likely to increase as the testing for potential EDCs has not been consistently required, and obtaining data has been limited, partly due to the long latency of many diseases. The ability to avoid exposure to EDCs, especially those of artificially synthesized origin, is increasingly challenging. While EDCs can be divided into persistent and non-persistent depending on their degree of degradation, due to the recent uptick in research studies in this area, we have chosen to focus on the research pertaining to the detrimental effects on reproductive health of exposure to several EDCs that are widely encountered in daily life over the past six years, specifically bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates (PAEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), parabens, pesticides, heavy metals, and so on. By focusing on the impact of EDCs on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which leads to the occurrence and development of reproductive system diseases, this review aims to provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of EDCs' damage to human health and to encourage further in-depth research to clarify the potentially harmful effects of EDC exposure through various other mechanisms. Ultimately, it offers a scientific basis to enhance EDCs risk management, an endeavor of significant scientific and societal importance for safeguarding reproductive health.