Menarche in women with high exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants in utero and during childhood

Abstract

In animal studies, exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) in utero and through mother's milk has been suggested to affect the onset of puberty. However, human studies are scarce and ambiguous. In the present study, information on age at menarche was collected from 545 women who had been brought up in a fishing village/family at the Swedish east coast, off the Baltic Sea, and therefore were assumed to have been exposed to POPs in utero, through breast feeding, and/or through dietary habits during their childhood. The average age at menarche for these women was compared to that of three referent groups: a) 1252 women who also had been brought up in a fishing village/family, but at the Swedish west coast where the fish had been considerably less contaminated, b) 634 women from the east coast, but who had not grown up in a fishing village/family, and c) 869 women from the west coast who had not grown up in a fishing village/family. Based on previous studies, all groups were regarded has having similar socio-economic circumstances. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). In an attempt to account for variations in environmental concentrations of POPs over time, all analyses were adjusted for year of birth. Exposed women were found to be slightly older at menarche than referent women from the same coastal area (mean age 13.0 years vs. 12.8 years). No differences were found between the exposed women and the two other referent groups (mean age 13.0 years in all groups).

Effect of Arsenic on the Onset of Menarcheal Age

“…The studies of Axmon (2006) and Denham et al (2005) indicated that exposure to organochlorine pollutants and toxic elements have negative effects on age at menarche. Aschengrau et al (1989) reported higher spontaneous abortions among women exposed to As through drinking water.…”

Science linking environmental contaminant exposures with fertility and reproductive health impacts in the adult female

“…Exposure to tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (7) was associated with delayed breast development, and slight delays in age at menarche were observed among consumers of contaminated Baltic Sea fish (8). However, age at menarche was not related to dioxin exposure in the den Hond study (7), and no effect on menarchal age was observed among girls exposed to dioxin prepuberty in Seveso (9).…”

Parental age at childbirth and age of menarche in the offspring

“…Only a few studies have examined exposures at the time of organogenesis, even though fetal programming of the timing of menarche is likely (Vatten et al, 2003;Windham et al, 2004;Axmon, 2006). The increasing trend of delayed childbearing may be one factor affecting prenatal programming.…”