An Overview of Some Reproductive Toxicology Studies Conducted At Health Canada

Disruption of androgen regulation in the prostate by the environmental contaminant hexachlorobenzene.

“…HCB is very persistent in the environment and impairs ovarian function in laboratory animals, decreases fertility, and decreases the weights of both seminal vesicles and ventral prostates (Elissalde and Clark 1979;Foster et al 1996;Muller et al 1978). In humans, the tissue samples of young boys with cryptorchidism (undescended testes) demonstrated elevated HCB levels compared with control surgical patients (Hosie et al 2000).…”

Organochlorine Pollutants and Female Fertility: A Systematic Review Focusing on In Vitro Fertilization Studies

“… Abbreviations: ALCH, α-chlordane; DDD, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane; DDE, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; HCB, hexachlorobenzene; HCH, hexachlorocyclohexane; OXCH, heptachloroepoxide-oxychlordane; O8CDD, octachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin; PCB, polychlorinated biphenyls; TCB, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene. a Series I: Trapp et al 27 ; Baukloh et al 45 ; Baukloh et al 46 ; Serie II: Schlebusch et al 47 ; Wagner et al, 1989 48 and 1990 49 ; Series III: Foster 53 ; Foster et al 54 ; Younglai et al 55,56 ; Series IV: Drbohlav et al 60 ; Jirsová et al 61 ; Masata et al 59 ; Jirsová et al 62 with PCBs 114, 153, 156, 157, 180, and 189: mean exposure levels calculated from Jirsová et al 61 ; Series V: Meeker et al 2009 64 ; Meeker et al 2011 65 ; Mahalingaiah et al 66 b Ordered from most to least frequently studied. c Simple values refer to means; values in [ ] to median; values in ( ) to extremes values if in italic and to standard deviation if not. Ranges, expressed as minimum and maximum values, are shown in italics. d As the sampling period is not specified, we retained year of publication the limit. e In this study, results were given for 3 groups: 53 cases of explained infertility, 15 of unexplained infertility, and 11 pregnancies following IVF. f Number of participants with OPs above the detection limit (for the 74 patients studied). g Number of participants with OPs above the detection limit (for the 150 patients studied). h DDE was detected in 77.7% of serum samples and 50.6% of follicular fluid samples; levels above the detection limit were found in 26.3% of serum samples and 7.8% of follicular fluid samples.…”

“… a Series I: Trapp et al 27 ; Baukloh et al 45 ; Baukloh et al 46 ; Serie II: Schlebusch et al 47 ; Wagner et al, 1989 48 and 1990 49 ; Series III: Foster 53 ; Foster et al 54 ; Younglai et al 55,56 ; Series IV: Drbohlav et al 60 ; Jirsová et al 61 ; Masata et al 59 ; Jirsová et al 62 with PCBs 114, 153, 156, 157, 180, and 189: mean exposure levels calculated from Jirsová et al 61 ; Series V: Meeker et al 2009 64 ; Meeker et al 2011 65 ; Mahalingaiah et al 66 …”

“…Several studies were initiated in Canada in response to increasing concern about the pollution of the Great Lakes. Jarrell et al 52 and a subsequent overview 54 screened 74 patients from 3 geographic areas: Halifax, Hamilton, and Vancouver. A strong association was found between geographic site and OP levels in S and FF fluids except for DDE.…”

“…Series III corresponds to a study of 150 patients equally distributed between 6 Canadian cities (Calgary, Halifax, Hamilton, London, Toronto, and Vancouver). [53][54][55] Three of the 21 patients included in the partial analysis 55,56 underwent unsuccessful fertilization procedures and 3 went on to become pregnant. Levels of a given OP were higher in serum than in FF and the concentrations in the 2 fluids were positively correlated.…”