Dec 16, 2024 05:15 PM
As Fertility Rates Fall, Some Scientists Say Everyday Chemicals Are a Factor
https://www.wsj.com/health/fertility-che..._permalink
alt source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/a...r-AA1vQUof
EXCERPT: . . . Two years after reducing her exposure to chemicals, Phillips, with the help of artificial insemination, gave birth to a son. Ten months later, she was pregnant again, this time naturally. In October of last year she gave birth to a daughter. She is certain her lifestyle change made the difference. “I don’t have proof but I can’t think of anything else,” she said.
Fertility rates around the world are declining, including in the U.S., where the total fertility rate last year fell to the lowest on record. Many scientists believe chemicals found in everyday products could be a factor, with a growing body of research showing potential negative effects for male and female reproductive systems, from exposure even in tiny amounts.
“The power of these chemicals to impact fertility is mind-boggling,” says Patricia Hunt, a professor at the School of Molecular Biosciences at Washington State University who has studied chromosomally abnormal human eggs for several decades. “We have all sorts of evidence that indicates: ‘Whoa, we’re in serious trouble here.’”
The scrutiny runs parallel to rising skepticism about traditional explanations for various health-related quandaries—perhaps most prominently embodied in Robert F. Kennedy’s nomination to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy’s most controversial positions have been around vaccines and fluoride, but he has for years contended that man-made chemicals are affecting fertility. He has also gone well beyond the established science on the issue, saying he thinks chemicals are leading to gender confusion in children... (MORE - missing details)
alternative source (MSN): MORE - details)
https://www.wsj.com/health/fertility-che..._permalink
alt source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/a...r-AA1vQUof
EXCERPT: . . . Two years after reducing her exposure to chemicals, Phillips, with the help of artificial insemination, gave birth to a son. Ten months later, she was pregnant again, this time naturally. In October of last year she gave birth to a daughter. She is certain her lifestyle change made the difference. “I don’t have proof but I can’t think of anything else,” she said.
Fertility rates around the world are declining, including in the U.S., where the total fertility rate last year fell to the lowest on record. Many scientists believe chemicals found in everyday products could be a factor, with a growing body of research showing potential negative effects for male and female reproductive systems, from exposure even in tiny amounts.
“The power of these chemicals to impact fertility is mind-boggling,” says Patricia Hunt, a professor at the School of Molecular Biosciences at Washington State University who has studied chromosomally abnormal human eggs for several decades. “We have all sorts of evidence that indicates: ‘Whoa, we’re in serious trouble here.’”
The scrutiny runs parallel to rising skepticism about traditional explanations for various health-related quandaries—perhaps most prominently embodied in Robert F. Kennedy’s nomination to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy’s most controversial positions have been around vaccines and fluoride, but he has for years contended that man-made chemicals are affecting fertility. He has also gone well beyond the established science on the issue, saying he thinks chemicals are leading to gender confusion in children... (MORE - missing details)
alternative source (MSN): MORE - details)