http://menstruationresearch.org/2010/02/04/study-links-reduced-fertility-to-flame-retardant-exposure/ Blog of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research Sun, 05 Sep 2010 21:58:54 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://menstruationresearch.org/2010/02/04/study-links-reduced-fertility-to-flame-retardant-exposure/comment-page-1/#comment-972 Jerilynn C. Prior Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:52:17 +0000 http://menstruationresearch.org/?p=2194#comment-972 It is likely that the influence of flame retardants on fertility is through ovulatory disturbances, meaning anovulation and short luteal phase cycles within regular menstruation. Ovulatory disturbances, especially short luteal phase are very common and almost always "subclinical" (meaning nothing seems out of the ordinary). Evidence from population-based data suggest that 10-20% of all REGULAR cycles are anovulatory. Given the relative incidence of anovulation (4%) and short luteal phase cycles (25%) across one year in 66 women monitoring continuously who were initially proven normally menstruating and ovulatory in two consecutive cycles, it likely that flame retardant exposure shortens luteal phase length and thus the amount of time following ovulation that progesterone has to mature and make the endometrium ready for implantation. This is the most subtle, but still consequential (not only for fertility, but also bone--see CeMCOR's newsletter article series at www.cemcor.ubc.ca) form of disruption of women's reproduction. It is likely that the influence of flame retardants on fertility is through ovulatory disturbances, meaning anovulation and short luteal phase cycles within regular menstruation. Ovulatory disturbances, especially short luteal phase are very common and almost always “subclinical” (meaning nothing seems out of the ordinary). Evidence from population-based data suggest that 10-20% of all REGULAR cycles are anovulatory. Given the relative incidence of anovulation (4%) and short luteal phase cycles (25%) across one year in 66 women monitoring continuously who were initially proven normally menstruating and ovulatory in two consecutive cycles, it likely that flame retardant exposure shortens luteal phase length and thus the amount of time following ovulation that progesterone has to mature and make the endometrium ready for implantation. This is the most subtle, but still consequential (not only for fertility, but also bone–see CeMCOR’s newsletter article series at http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca) form of disruption of women’s reproduction.

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