American scientists from Rutgers University in New Jersey evaluated the impact of air pollution on the development of the fetus in the womb. They concluded that poor ecology can have a negative impact on children’s reproductive organs before they are even born. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP).
By studying data on atmospheric emissions of harmful substances, experts found that some pollutants can negatively affect the anogenital distance of the fetus (the space between the genitals and the anus), which indicates intrauterine hormonal disorders. Particles formed during the combustion of gasoline, diesel fuel and wood have toxic effects.
“The results suggest that air pollution can affect normal hormonal activity during critical periods of prenatal and early child development, and we suspect that this disruption may have long-term consequences on reproductive health,” said Professor Emily Barrett, lead author of the study. .
Medical studies among adult men and women have shown that changes in anogenital distance are associated with sperm quality, fertility, and various reproductive disorders.
The shortening of this difference in boys is a sign that toxic exposure to pollutants is interfering with the fetus’s testosterone production, the researchers noted.
Microsoot particles from fuel combustion can also carry cadmium, lead and other heavy metals that disrupt the endocrine system, researchers say. When they interfere with the body’s hormones, the effects can range from the development of cancer to impaired ability to become pregnant in the future.
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