期刊名称：Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
印刷版ISSN：1232-1966
电子版ISSN：1898-2263
出版年度：2015
卷号：22
期号：2
页码：259-264
DOI：10.5604/12321966.1152077
出版社：Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin
摘要：Introduction. It has been recognized that environmental pollution can affect the quality of health of the human population.Heavy metals are among the group of highly emitted contaminants and their adverse effect of living organisms has beenwidely studied in recent decades. Lifestyle and quality of the ambient environment are among these factors which canmainly contribute to the heavy metals exposure in humans.Objective. A review of literature linking heavy metals and the female reproductive system and description of the possibleassociations with emission and exposure of heavy metals and impairments of female reproductive system according tocurrent knowledge.Results. The potential health disorders caused by chronic or acute heavy metals toxicity include immunodeficiency,osteoporosis, neurodegeneration and organ failures. Potential linkages of heavy metals concentration found in differenthuman organs and blood with oestrogen-dependent diseases such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer, endometriosisand spontaneous abortions, as well as pre-term deliveries, stillbirths and hypotrophy, have also been reported.Conclusions. Environmental deterioration can lead to the elevated risk of human exposure to heavy metals, and consequently,health implications including disturbances in reproduction. It is therefore important to continue the investigations onmetal-induced mechanisms of fertility impairment on the genetic, epigenetic and biochemical level
