A recent major review shows strong evidence that chemicals known as endocrine disruptors harm women’s fertility and may increase the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). These chemicals interfere with the body’s hormones and are found widely in everyday products and the environment.
Female reproductive disorders have been rising steadily over the past decades. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are believed to play a key role in this trend. They can cause various problems such as lower fertility, early or delayed puberty, premature menopause, and PCOS.
EDCs are common substances used in many products. Examples include plastic additives like phthalates and bisphenols found in food packaging, personal care items, and household goods. Pesticides that pollute soil, water, and air also belong to this group.
This review, published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology in May 2025, calls for stronger laws to reduce exposure to these chemicals, especially during early development. Problems caused by EDCs can not only reduce fertility but may also increase risks of heart disease and osteoporosis.
The researchers found that EDCs affect women’s reproductive health in several ways. They reduce the number and quality of eggs, interfere with egg growth, speed up egg loss, increase the chances of early menopause, disrupt puberty timing, raise PCOS rates, and lower the success of fertility treatments such as IVF.
The authors stressed that while genetics, lifestyle, and age influence fertility, the growing evidence shows EDCs also play a significant role.
Early and Lasting Harm from Chemical Exposure
Female fertility depends on many developmental stages, including the formation of egg cells before birth and proper hormonal regulation throughout life. Two critical factors are:
Ovarian reserve: the lifetime supply of egg follicles made before birth, which decreases with age until menopause.
Hormonal control system: known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which regulates reproduction and puberty.
EDCs disrupt these processes by interfering with hormone signals, damaging reproductive organs, and altering hormone production. For example, they can cause eggs to develop too fast or stop growing, leading to irregular periods and reduced fertility.
Studies show that exposure timing matters. Chemicals like BPA, atrazine, and DEHP disrupt egg cell formation, causing poor egg quality. Exposure in the womb to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a banned synthetic estrogen, has been linked to shorter reproductive life and infertility due to faster egg loss.
High exposure to EDCs is also linked to earlier menopause. One study found women with the highest EDC levels entered menopause nearly four years earlier than those with the lowest levels.
Animal studies show EDCs reduce important reproductive hormones and disturb normal cycles, even long after exposure ends.
EDCs Influence Puberty Timing
Worldwide, girls are starting puberty earlier, sometimes by nearly three months per decade. EDCs may cause this shift by acting like estrogen or blocking hormone production.
For example, BPA exposure in young rats delayed puberty. In humans, early BPA and DES exposure has been linked to both early and delayed breast development, but consistently delayed menstruation. Phthalates have also been linked to delayed puberty.
Some studies suggest EDCs can affect gene regulation across generations, causing delayed puberty in descendants of exposed animals.
EDCs and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS affects up to 15% of women worldwide and is a leading cause of infertility. Genetics are important, but this review suggests EDCs may disrupt hormones during fetal development and puberty, raising PCOS risk.
Women with PCOS often have higher levels of EDCs, particularly PFAS—chemicals used in non-stick cookware and stain-resistant products. A Swedish study linked high PFAS pollution areas with more than double the PCOS risk. A U.S. study also found higher PFAS levels in women seeking fertility treatment correlated with increased PCOS risk.
Animal studies show that BPA, tributyltin, and DEHP can cause PCOS-like symptoms such as hormone imbalances and ovarian cysts.
Some evidence links EDCs to lower success in fertility treatments, although findings are mixed. Chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and parabens have been found in the fluid around developing eggs, associated with fewer mature eggs and disrupted hormones.
Research Gaps and Urgent Action Needed
The researchers caution that proving direct cause and effect in humans is difficult because many factors influence reproductive health. The impacts of EDCs may take years to show.
They call for new advanced research tools to study how these chemicals affect specific cells in the brain and reproductive organs. EDCs may also affect the gut microbiome and the placenta, important for development.
Other female health issues, such as preterm birth, endometriosis, and breast cancer, have also been linked to EDCs, highlighting the urgent need to reduce exposure.
The authors conclude: “Despite gaps in knowledge, we must act now with coordinated strategies to prevent exposure to EDCs and protect women’s reproductive health and future generations.”
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