FIGO Highlights Clinicians’ Role in Addressing Reproductive Risks from Environmental Toxics

A recent opinion paper in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics from the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) outlines how exposure to environmental toxics, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals, negatively affects reproductive health. Research links these exposures to conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, hormonally driven cancers, menopause-related complications, and infertility in both women and men. These effects result primarily from hormone disruption, oxidative stress, inflammation, and epigenetic changes that can span generations.

FIGO stresses that these harms are preventable and that clinicians are central to addressing them. Obstetricians and gynecologists, as trusted providers, can integrate environmental health into everyday care by taking environmental histories, counseling on risk reduction, and identifying high-risk exposures, including workplace hazards. The paper also encourages guidance during sensitive periods such as preconception, pregnancy, puberty, and menopause. Clinicians should stay informed about regional environmental alerts and advocate for stronger public health policies.

26-11-2025