Table 4.

Summary of the Main Effects of EDCs on the Female Reproductive System

Organ or Condition	Category	BPA	Phthalates	Pesticides	Environmental Contaminants	DES
Ovary	Ovarian development			Decreased ovarian weight	Delayed ovarian development
	Germ cell nests	Decreased germ cell nest breakdown				Decreased germ cell nest breakdown
	Atresia	Increased atresia	Increased atresia		Increased atresia	Increased atresia
	Oocytes	Increased number of multioocyte follicles, interference with meiosis	Decreased no. of viable oocytes		Decreased oocyte quality
	Primordial follicles	Decreased number of primordial follicles	Increased primordial follicle recruitment	Increased activation of primordial follicles
	Follicle growth	Decreased antral follicle growth	Decreased antral follicle growth	Decreased antral follicle growth	Decreased follicle growth
	Steroidogenesis	Altered steroidogenesis	Altered steroidogenesis	Altered steroidogenesis	Decreased steroidogenesis
	Gene expression	Altered gene expression	Altered gene expression	Altered gene expression	Altered gene expression
Uterus	Structure	Development of endometrial-like structures		Altered uterine weight	Shorter fundi and uterine lengths, fewer uterine glands
	Proliferation/hyperplasia/carcinoma	Impaired proliferation				Endometrial hyperplasia, uterine adenocarcinoma
	Immune function	Increased immune responsiveness			Chronic active inflammation
	Receptivity		Compromised uterine receptivity, decreased implantation sites	Decreased implantation sites
	Gene expression	Altered gene expression			Altered gene expression	Altered gene expression
Vagina	Carcinoma					Carcinoma
						Altered gene expression
Anterior pituitary	Gonadotropins	Increased gonadotropin mRNA	Increased ability to produce gonadotropins	Altered gonadotropin release	Altered gonadotropin levels	Decreased LH-secreting gonadotropes
Reproductive cycles	Puberty			Altered vaginal opening	Altered onset of puberty
Pathophysiological reproductive conditions	Fertility	Reduced fertility	Reduced fertility	Reduced fertility	Reduced fertility
	Early menopause/premature reproductive failure	Early menopause/premature ovarian failure	Early menopause	Early menopause	Early menopause	Early menopause
	Fibroids	Increased risk of fibroids	Increased risk of fibroids		Increased risk of fibroids	Increased risk of fibroids
	Endometriosis		Increased risk of endometriosis	Increased risk of endometriosis	Increased risk of endometriosis
Pregnancy and birth outcomes	Adverse birth outcomes	Increased risk of adverse birth outcomes	Increased risk of adverse birth outcomes	Increased risk of adverse birth outcomes	Increased risk of adverse birth outcomes