ILO SafeWork - Gender issues - Articles from the Encyclopaedia

Vol. 1 - Pages 9.1-9.30 (Printed Version) - Tabl* 9.3

Reproductive System

STRUCTURE OF THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM AND TARGET ORGAN
VULNERABILITY

Potential female reproductive toxicants

Compound	Clinical manifestation	Site	Mechanism/target
Chemical reactivity
Alkylating agents	Altered menses Amenorrhoea Ovarian atrophy Decreased fertility Premature menopause	Ovary Uterus	Granulosa cell cytotoxicity Oocyte cytotoxicity Endometrial cell cytotoxicity
Lead	Abnormal menses Ovarian atrophy Decreased fertility	Hypothalamus Pituitary Ovary	Decreased FSH Decreased progesterone
Mercury	Abnormal menses	Hypothalamus Ovary	Altered gonadotrophin production and secretion Follicle toxicity Granulosa cell proliferation
Cadmium	Follicular atresia Persistent diestrus	Ovary Pituitary Hypothalamus	Vascular toxicity Granulosa cell cytotoxicity Cytotoxicity
Structural similarity
Azathioprine	Reduced follicle numbers	Ovary Oogenesis	Purine analog Disruption of DNA/RNA synthesis
Chlordecone	Impaired fertility	Hypothalamus	Oestrogen agonist
DDT	Altered menses	Pituitary	FSH, LH disruption
2,4-D	Infertility
Lindane	Amenorrhoea
Toxaphene	Hypermenorrhoea
PCBs, PBBs	Abnormal menses		FSH, LH disruption

Source: From Plowchalk, Meadows and Mattison 1992. These compounds are suggested
to be direct-acting reproductive toxicants based primarily on toxicity testing in
experimental animals.

Gender issues

Articles from the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety