Below you will find recent news, science, and other resources, gleaned from the CHE Fertility Online Library, hosted by Environmental Health News, and the CHE daily news feed.

Prenatal exposure to chemicals linked to breast cancer risk. The children of women who are exposed to certain industrial chemicals - bisphenol-A and diethylstilbestrol - while pregnant are at an increased risk for developing breast cancer as adults, a new animal study suggests. HealthDay News. 28 May 2010.

9/11 link to rise in male foetal death rate, study says. The stress caused by the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center may have led to an increase in miscarriages of male foetuses, US researchers say. A study in the BioMed Central Journal found 12 percent more male babies were lost in September 2001 after the 20th week of pregnancy than in a "normal" September. BBC. 25 May 2010.

Distress of 9/11 may have led to miscarriages, research says. The shock and stress felt by pregnant women after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, may have contributed to an increase in miscarriages of male fetuses in the United States, according to a study released Monday. CNN. 25 May 2010.

Phthalates: Are they safe? More than ever, people are worried about how all the chemicals we're exposed to are affecting our health - among them a family of chemicals known as phthalates, which are used in everyday plastics. 60 Minutes CBS News. 24 May 2010.

Studies link infertility treatments to autism. A study conducted by a team at the Harvard School of Public Health found that autism was nearly twice as common among the children of women who were treated with the ovulation-inducing drug Clomid and other similar drugs than women who did not suffer from infertility. Time Magazine. 22 May 2010.

Blood test for early ovarian cancer may be recommended for all. Dianne Klefstad's quilting group may have saved her life. Klefstad, 61, was rescued from deadly ovarian cancer by a $30 blood test after the group signed up for a study that detected her disease. The research, released yesterday, may lead to an annual test recommended for all women older than age 50. Bloomberg. 21 May 2010.

Difficult conception tied to higher pregnancy risks. High-risk pregnancies are more likely in women who have difficulty getting pregnant, with or without help from hi-tech fertility treatments, new research finds. Reuters Health. 20 May 2010.

First Nations environmental health guide is now available.
Canada's Ministry of Health announced the launch of the First Nations environmental health guide Your Health at Home which provides useful information and practical tips for First Nations to keep their homes safer and healthier.

Growth hormone causes breast cancer, says study. A hormone that helps children grow may cause breast cancer, and women with high levels are at higher risk, a new study has found. London Independent, United Kingdom. 17 May 2010.

Puerto Rico's rising preterm birth rate. With nearly 20 percent of infants born before 37 weeks, Puerto Rico has the highest pre-term birth rate in the United States and one of the highest in the world. A team of university researchers is studying whether contaminants in Puerto Rico's groundwater are contributing to the problem. Associated Press. 16 May 2010.

Organochlorine pesticides and endometriosis. The first such findings in a laproscopic cohort that suggest an association between OCP exposure and endometriosis. More prospective studies are necessary to ensure temporal ordering and confirm these findings. Reproductive Toxicology. 16 May 2010.

Perchlorate not tied to pregnancy thyroid problems. Everyday exposure to perchlorate, an industrial chemical found in drinking water and a range of foods, may not impair thyroid function in pregnant women, a new study suggests. Reuters. 14 May 2010.

A mixture of two common substances often found in food - bisphenol A and the soy phytoestrogen genistein - caused more serious developmental problems in rat embryos than would be expected from either one alone. While BPA and genistein each inhibited some aspects of the embryos' growth, the combined exposures caused more severe problems. Together, they caused malformations and defects in the rats' central nervous system, including the brain. 14 May 2010. More...

A study with rats finds that exposure to low doses of BPA during development changes some of the proteins expressed by the mammary gland - including those that control cell proliferation and death - before and during puberty in ways consistent with cancer formation. This is the first time the chemical has been shown to influence key cell development through the proteins that guide these later-life processes. 13 May 2010. More...

Judge hears evidence as Dole Food Co. seeks to overturn pesticide ruling. The firm alleges that banana pickers who said they were left sterilized by exposure to chemicals were part of a scheme to defraud U.S. courts and firms. The workers were awarded $2.3 million in 2007. Los Angeles Times, California. 12 May 2010. [Registration Required]

Air pollution 'can stop woman getting pregnant through IVF.' A link has been found between air pollutants, particularly nitrogen dioxide, and an increased chance of IVF failure. London Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom. 11 May 2010.

Researchers link soy beans with production of sperm. A naturally-occurring ingredient of soy beans has been found to interfere with a part of the male reproductive system involved in sperm production. London Independent, United Kingdom. 11 May 2010.

The infertility timebomb: Are men facing rapid extinction? One in five men could suffer from fertility problems. And scientists have warned that it's just going to get worse. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom. 10 May 2010.

A new study finds associations between exposure to bisphenol A and blood levels of thyroid and reproductive hormones. Researchers found that men with higher urine BPA concentrations had higher blood levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and lower levels of inhibin B. Elevated FSH and depressed inhibin B have been associated with poorer sperm quality in humans. 5 May 2010. More...

Irregular period: It could be more than just stress. When a young woman's menstrual periods get out of whack - extra-long, extra-short or intermittent - she may just chalk it up to stress and ignore it. To even out monthly cycles, doctors often prescribe birth control pills, without doing much of an evaluation first. But both those approaches are a mistake, says gynecologist Lawrence Nelson, of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. NPR. 3 May 2010.