US EditionStudy Claims Pollutants and Climate Change Fuel a Global Fertility Crisis
Researchers say 140,000 synthetic chemicals and rising temperatures are disrupting reproduction across species, with only 1% of chemicals fully studied for safety.
- A new review published in NPJ Emerging Contaminants indicates that synthetic chemicals and rising temperatures are severely disrupting reproductive processes in both humans and wildlife.
- While 140,000 synthetic chemicals currently exist, only 1,000 are known to affect the endocrine system, which produces hormones essential for successful reproduction.
- Studies show microplastic exposure correlates with falling sperm counts, though researchers call current safety data a "gross underestimate" given that only 1% of chemicals have undergone sufficient evaluation.
- Ecotoxicologist Susanne Brander from the University of Oregon notes that warming temperatures and chemical exposures interact to exacerbate reproductive stress across species.
- Negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty reflect growing recognition that plastic pollution represents an urgent planetary health emergency, as scientists warn of a 'silent' fertility crisis.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Impacts of environmental stressors on fertility and fecundity across taxa, with implications for planetary health - npj Emerging Contaminants
Exposure to synthetic chemicals occurs across species. These substances are often untested, highly persistent, and lack regulation. Together with climate change, they can cause population decline. Many act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, interfering with hormones at low concentrations. Emerging pollutants, including microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, further contribute. Impacts include reduced fertility, fecundity, and eve…
dailyclimate.org
EHNToxic chemicals and climate change work together to harm fertility across species
In a recent review published in NPJ Emerging Contaminants, researchers examine how toxic chemicals can reduce fertility in both humans and wildlife, and how these effects are worsened by climate change. In short: Animals - including insects, fish, reptiles, birds, humans, and other mammals - are constantly simultaneously exposed to synthetic chemicals and the impacts of climate change, including rising temperatures. Both of these stressors can h…
Invisible fertility crisis: Chemicals and climate change threaten reproduction across species
The rise in infertility is not limited to humans, as environmental stressors are quietly undermining the reproductive potential of different forms of life. A recent review published in npj Emerging Contaminants investigated how today's environmental challenges are shaping the reproductive capacity of both humans and animals.
Toxic chemicals are raising infertility in humans, fish, birds, and insects: ‘A whisper that is powerful enough to redirect a hurricane’
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that fertility rates, the average number of births women are projected to have over their lifetime, fell to a record low last year. It’s a demographic shift that could hold repercussions for the economy and the country’s politics. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that women’s career options and earning potential have improved. But not every factor be…
The combination of toxic chemicals and climate impact can cause serious effects on reproduction in humans and animals. Specialist alerts to the increasing presence of new contaminants in the environment.
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