Journal Article

Bisphenol A: an emerging threat to female fertility

Nardone, Antonio, Conforti, Alessandro, Muscogiuri, Giovanna, Provvisiero, Donatella Paola, Piscopo, Mariangela, Verde, Nunzia, Colao, Annamaria, Pivonello, Rosario, de Angelis, Cristina, Pivonello, Claudia, Garifalos, Francesco, Auriemma, Renata Simona

2020

Overview

Bisphenol-A (BPA) has been reported to be associated to female infertility. Indeed, BPA has been found to be more frequently detected in infertile women thus leading to hypothesize a possible effect of BPA on natural conception and spontaneous fecundity. In addition, in procedures of medically assisted reproduction BPA exposure has been found to be negatively associated with peak serum estradiol levels during gonadotropin stimulation, number of retrieved oocytes, number of normally fertilized oocytes and implantation. BPA deleterious effects are more critical during perinatal exposure, causing dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis in pups and adults, with a precocious maturation of the axis through a damage of GnRH pulsatility, gonadotropin signaling and sex steroid hormone production. Further, BPA exposure during early lifestage may have a transgenerational effect predisposing the subsequent generations to the risk of developing BPA related disease. Experimental studies suggested that prenatal, perinatal and postnatal exposure to BPA can impair several steps of ovarian development, induce ovarian morphology rearrangement and impair ovarian function, particularly folliculogenesis, as well as can impair uterus morphology and function, in female adult animal and offspring. Finally, studies carried out in animal models have been reported the occurrence of endometriosis-like lesions after BPA exposure. Moreover, BPA exposure has been described to encourage the genesis of PCOS-like abnormalities through the impairment of the secretion of sex hormones affecting ovarian morphology and functions, particularly folliculogenesis. The current manuscript summarizes the evidence regarding the association between BPA exposure and female infertility, reviewing both clinical and preclinical studies.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,BMC
• Subject: 17β-Estradiol / Analysis / Androgens / Animal models / Animals / Benzhydryl Compounds - poisoning / Bisphenol A / BPA / Brain / Caretta caretta / Cosmetics / Development and progression / Diseases / Endocrine Disruptors - poisoning / Endocrinology / Endometriosis / Epoxy resins / Estradiol / Estrogens / Fecundity / Female / Female infertility / Fertility / Fertility - drug effects / Fertility - physiology / Fetuses / Folliculogenesis / Food / Gene expression / Gonadotropin-releasing hormone / Gonadotropins / Hormones / Humans / Hypothalamus / Infertility / Infertility, Female - chemically induced / Infertility, Female - diagnosis / Infertility, Female - physiopathology / Insulin / Insulin resistance / Laboratory animals / Medical research / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Morphology / Obesity / Oocytes / PCOS / Perinatal exposure / Phenols (Class of compounds) / Phenols - poisoning / Pituitary / Pituitary (anterior) / Polycystic ovary syndrome / Pregnancy / Pregnant women / Prenatal experience / Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - chemically induced / Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - diagnosis / Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - physiopathology / Reproduction - drug effects / Reproduction - physiology / Reproductive Medicine / Reproductive status / Reproductive system / Resins / Review / Sex hormones / Steroid hormones / THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENT AND LIFESTYLE ON HUMAN FERTILITY / Uterus