Doctors Link Toxic Chemicals And Reproductive Health Problems
Toxic chemicals in the environment are detrimental to the reproductive health of both men and women, according to a new joint committee opinion written by two major medical organizations.
In an opinion paper published Monday in the journal Fertility and Sterility, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) called for further research into the potential impact of environmental contaminants on fertility and pregnancy. The groups also urged policymakers to provide consumers and workers with clear information about potential risks.
"This is a call for awareness," said Dr. Jeanne Conry, president of ACOG, told The Huffington Post. "We want men and women to know there are concerns, but we're not trying to hit a bell and alarm everyone."
The aim of the paper, Conry said, is not to get individuals to take drastic measures to ensure their reproductive health. (Conry said she would advise most patients, with relatively low levels of day-to-day containment exposure, to simply wash their fruits and vegetables thoroughly and avoid eating and drinking from plastic when possible.) Instead, it is a call for further research and for stricter regulations to identify and reduce exposures.
"How do we shift the burden of proof off consumers and practitioners and onto the chemical industry?" Conry said. "We've been exposed to chemicals for 20, 30, 40 years that have not been studied well."
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