Chemicals in plastic are causing a significant reduction in human fertility
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 88/100
Substantial scientific literature indicates that exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics and consumer products significantly impairs both male and female reproductive health, contributing to declining fertility rates.
Evidence for · 10
Endocrine disrupting chemicals: impacts on human fertility and fecundity during the peri-conception period.
2020 · cited by 135
Reviews extensive evidence linking endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like phthalates and pesticides to reduced male and female fertility and sub-fertility.
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More for · 9
Endocrine disrupting chemicals impact on ovarian aging: Evidence from epidemiological and experimental evidence.
2022 · cited by 109
Summarizes epidemiological and experimental evidence showing that EDCs cause ovarian aging, follicular loss, and a decline in female fecundity.
The impact of endocrine disruptor chemicals on oocyte/embryo and clinical outcomes in IVF
2020 · cited by 27
Connects endocrine-disrupting pesticide exposure to poor oocyte maturation, embryonic defects, and diminished IVF outcomes.
The Role of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Male Fertility Decline
2019 · cited by 9
Explores how ubiquitous EDCs disrupt male reproductive function, impairing sperm concentration, motility, and morphology.
Exposure to phthalate mixtures impairs mouse preimplantation embryonic development in an in vitro model.
2025 · cited by 2
Demonstrates via animal models that biologically relevant phthalate mixtures impair preimplantation embryo development and viability.
Endocrine disruptors and human fertility
2022 · cited by 0
Notes that escalating exposure to man-made EDCs is widely postulated to partially explain the concurrent decline in human fertility.
Oxidative Stress-Mediated DNA Damage and Macrophage Polarization Microenvironment: A Novel Mechanism of DCHP-Induced Male Reproductive System Impairment.
2026 · cited by 0
Reveals that exposure to phthalate derivatives is associated with oxidative stress, DNA damage, and reduced sperm quality.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and female reproductive health: a growing concern.
2025 · cited by 0
Outlines how environmental EDC exposure contributes to the rising incidence of female reproductive disorders and declining human fertility rates.
Endocrine disruptor chemicals exposure and female fertility declining: from pathophysiology to epigenetic risks.
2024 · cited by 0
Links chemical EDCs such as phthalates and bisphenols to altered oocyte maturation, anovulation, and overall female infertility.
Mixtures of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) alter sperm methylation and long-term reprogramming of offspring liver and fat transcriptome.
2024 · cited by 0
Highlights that global male fertility decline has coincided with high levels of EDCs like PFAS, which alter sperm methylation and reproductive outcomes.