title: Effects of Prenatal Environmental Exposures on the Development of Endometriosis in Female Offspring.
abstract: Endometriosis has many hypothesized etiologies. Known risk factors include genetic predisposition, uterine outflow abnormalities, and iatrogenic causes. Of increasing concern is prenatal environmental exposures. However, the findings of studies investigating the relationships between prenatal environmental exposures and the development of endometriosis have not always been conclusive, and therefore, the relationships are debatable.
  
  
  
  This review presents a summary and analysis of the current studies that investigated the effects of prenatal environmental exposures on the development of endometriosis in female offspring.
  
  
  
  Prenatal exposure to estrogenic substances (such as ethinyl estradiol and diethylstilbestrol) and environmental toxins (such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls, and bisphenol A) may increase the incidence of endometriosis in female offspring. However, exposure to cigarette smoke may protect against the development of endometriosis in female offspring mainly because of its antiestrogenic effects.
  
  
  
  Certain prenatal environmental exposures might result in the development of endometriosis in female offspring. In addition to known environmental exposures that predispose the development of endometriosis in adulthood, such as dioxin and radiation exposure (animal models), prenatal exposures are of increasing concern.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nankai Hospital, Tianjin Academy of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Xinyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research, Nankai Hospital, Tianjin Academy of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nankai Hospital, Tianjin Academy of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin, China zachary_zy@163.com.
authors.forename: Baoli
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China Department of Neurology, Nankai Hospital, Tianjin Academy of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin, China zakzy@163.com.
authors.forename: Wenli
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects; D004147:Dioxins / Q000009:adverse effects; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010636:Phenols / Q000009:adverse effects; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000009:adverse effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D004147:Dioxins; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D010636:Phenols; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C066841:2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-4-dioxin; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: cigarette smoking; endometriosis; environmental toxins; estrogenic substances; prenatal environmental exposure