Collaborative on Health and the Environment's
Fertility/Reproductive Health Working Group


photos of people and the natural environment
E-Bulletin June 25, 2010
This e-bulletin lists news and journal articles, organizational reports, calls for proposals, upcoming events and other items related to fertility, reproductive health and the environment. E-bulletins are archived and searchable on our website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/fertility
CHE-Fertility Highlights
New CHE-Fertility Partners
It has been a while since we have announced new partners in CHE-Fertility. As we have now grown to over 400 participants, we'd like to take this opportunity to announce our newest members that have joined since December 2009:
  • Carol Carver, RN, MSN, Cathlamet, Washington         
  • Anne Sheldon, Augusta, Maine           
  • Sarah Lovinger, MD, Evanston, Illinois          
  • Molly Arthur, Tiburon, California           
  • Fiona Hanley, RN, MSc, Montreal, Canada          
  • Anne Rochon Ford, Toronto, Canada      
  • Sarah Flakus, Bellingham, Washington           
  • Larissa Curlik, Blue Hill, Maine       
  • Sultana Afrooz, DO, Laurel, Maryland       
  • Nancy Guberti, MS, CN, Eastchester, New York           
  • Shauna Zahariuk, Winnipeg, Canada       
  • Kimberly Inez Mcguire, Washington, DC  
  • Glenys Webster, Vancouver, Canada          
  • Deborah Thompson, MD, ARNG, Baltimore, Maryland    
  • Greg Boulos, MS, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania          
  • Sarah Cheek, BSN, San Francisco, California             
  • Angie Sturm, South Lake Tahoe, California            
  • Berna Watson, MD, MPH, Richmond, California            
  • Carols Sonnenschein, MD, Boston, Massachusetts     
  • Rebecca Daley, Berkeley, California
  • Nancy Langston, PhD, Albany, Wisconsin
  • Stacy Leavens, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
  • Irene Thomopoulos, Old Westbury, New York
  • James SK Akpablie, MD, MPH, Bolga, Ghana
  • Maria del Pilar Velez, MD, MSc, Montreal Canada  (you may already have her)
  • Maralyn Chase, MA, Shoreline, Washington
  • Yael Stein, MD, Jerusalem, Isreal
  • Giulherme Reis, Montes Claros, Michigan
  • Khurram Ansar, MPH, Pakistan
  • Kinga Kosny, Clawson, Michigan
  • Jason Harless, Oakland, California
  • Patricia Monnier, MD, PhD, Montreal, Canada
  • Maureen Cooney, Arlington, Virginia
  • Julie Hohmeister, MS, Bethlehem, New Hampshire
  • Kristen Smith, PhD, Boston, Massachuessets
  • Kebede Eticha, MPH, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • Farhan Abdul, MD, MPH, PhD, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Jalal Saleh, MB, MPH, Adamawa State, Nigeria
  • Lori Lindgren, Oakland, California
Planned ParenthoodŽ Green Choices fact sheets and Environmental Health Assessment Form. Planned Parenthood Green Choices supports the creation of a sustainable world by providing he information patients and clinicians need to make choices for better health and a greener environment - for individuals, families, and communities. Link to the fact sheets and assessment form

Environmental nurses hold first U.S. conference at the UM School of Nursing.
For the first time, nurses from across the nation came together at a conference to address the relationship between health and the environment. The conference, held June 7-8 at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), was co-sponsored by UMSON and the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environment (ANHE), a new organization that brings together nurses and nursing organizations to achieve environmental health goals. Read more Also see EnviRN, a virtual resource for environmental health and nursing

The Girl, Disrupted report is now available in German: Gestörte Weiblichkeit, produced by Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF).
As a reminder, Girl, Disrupted is a report on the Women's Reproductive Health and the Environment Workshop held in January 2008; specifically, the report is a lay summary of how endocrine (or hormone) disruptors impact female reproductive health at different stages of life. Download the report in German

Newly Updated CHE-Fertility Online Abstracts Library
We are still seeking beta testers for the newly updated CHE-Fertility Online Abstracts Library, a representative collection of the peer-reviewed scientific literature related to fertility, reproductive health and the environment. The library includes nontechnical summaries of scientific studies that link environmental exposures to infertility/reduced fertility in addition to other reproductive health problems such as preterm birth, hypospadias, endometriosis, low sperm count, premature ovarian failure, prostate cancer, and others. If you are willing to provide us with feedback about how useful and searchable it is, please email julia@healthandenvironment.org with your input.

Media Spotlight
The best Father's Day gift money can't buy: reform of our outdated chemical laws. By Julia Varshavsky, Program Associate and Fertility/Reproductive Health Working Group Coordinator, Collaborative on Health and the Environment

If your father is anything like mine then you are well aware of the annual struggle to find the perfect Father's Day gift. This year I had considered the standard-a tie or some cologne. I contemplated a new electronic gadget, though I know my father would never use it. Instead, I thought of something much more special and better for his health: reform of the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

TSCA is the main law in the United States that is aimed at regulating chemicals used in every day products. However, as we hear more about cases like McDonald's toy Shrek glasses that contain cadmium and fragrances laced with an array of toxic chemicals, it is becoming increasingly clear that TSCA is woefully inadequate in terms of protecting public health. And with more than 80,000 chemicals registered for use in commerce over the last 70 years, an overwhelming majority for which we have no testing data on basic toxicity, we need a regulatory system that works.

But what does TSCA reform have to do with my father's health? As the coordinator for the Collaborative on Health and the Environment's Fertility and Reproductive Health Working Group (CHE-Fertility), I have learned a good deal about environmental impacts to male reproductive health and I can tell you - it all begins during fetal development.

Link to the full blog on the American Fertility Association website
News, Science and Useful Resources
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.

Smoking not found to affect endometriosis risk. Smoking may neither raise nor lower a woman's chances of developing endometriosis, one of the most common causes of infertility, a new study suggests. Reuters Health. 25 June 2010.

New Research Indicates Higher Risk for Miscarriage in Pregnant Women with Thyroid Hormone Levels on High End of Normal. Pregnant women with thyroid function test results in the upper half of the normal range have an increased chance of miscarriage, even when they lack thyroid-harming antibodies, according to a new study. The results, which the authors say show the need to change screening practices for pregnant women, will be presented at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting, ENDO 2010, in San Diego on June 22 by Alex Stagnaro-Green, M.D., senior author and senior associate dean for education at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Newswise. 23 June 2010.

NIEHS director reacts to study of pregnant women, urges more investigation of flame retardants. The director of the national institute that oversees environmental health research said Monday that a new study raises many important questions about how flame retardants in common household items may pose a threat to the health of pregnant women and their infants. Environmental Health News. 22 June 2010.

Early menopause raises heart disease risk. Women who go through menopause early, before age 46, may have more than twice the risk of having a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event later in life, researchers reported on Monday. Reuters Health. 22 June 2010.

Outlawed insecticide linked to prostate cancer. Exposure to the long-banned organochloride insecticide chlordecone may be associated with a greater chance of developing prostate cancer, a new case-control study showed. MedPage Today. 22 June 2010.

Early-life exposure to BPA may affect testis function in adulthood. Exposure to environmental levels of the industrial chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, in the womb and early life may cause long-lasting harm to testicular function, according to a new study conducted in animals. EurekAlert! 22 June 2010.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have higher BPA blood levels. Women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common hormone imbalance in women of reproductive age, may be more vulnerable to exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), found in many plastic household items, according to a new study. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego. EurekAlert! 21 June 2010.

Flame retardants can alter thyroid hormones in pregnant women, new study shows. High levels of brominated flame retardants can alter pregnant women's thyroid hormones, which are critical to a baby's growth and brain development, according to a California study published Monday. Environmental Health News. 21 June 2010.
[See related articles: NIEHS director reacts to study of pregnant women, urges more investigation of flame retardants and New research indicates higher risk for miscarriage in pregnant women with thyroid hormone levels on high end of normal]

New report: What's That Smell?
Did you know that the lemon-fresh smell or pine forest scent in your favorite cleaner may be linked to serious health impacts? From Women's Voices for the Earth. 18 June, 2010.

Estrogen Treatments May Cause Hormonal Disruption in Pets. Pixie, a 15-month-old pug, was brought into a Florida veterinary practice with signs that she was in heat. Normally that may not be such a big deal, except Pixie had been spayed since she was 7-months-old. change.org. 18 June 2010.

Tara was just seven when puberty struck - shockingly, cases like hers are becoming all too common - so what's to blame? In girls, the age of puberty is down by a whole year - from 11 to ten. For boys, the change is less stark, but it's nonetheless real. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom. 17 June 2010.

Poisoned for Profit.
This is an updated and expanded version of Poisoned Profits, including significant political, economic and scientific developments since the hardcover book was published in 2008, an Afterword that discusses what those developments mean, and new resources for parents.

Girls now reaching puberty before 10 - a year sooner than 20 years ago. The latest generation of girls are reaching puberty before the age of 10, a new study suggests, raising fears they may also begin sexual activity earlier. London Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom. 15 June 2010.
[See a related article: High meat diet 'linked to early periods']

Rats exposed to bisphenol A (BPA) early in life develop symptoms resembling polycystic ovarian syndrome, a leading cause of infertility in women. This animal study is among the first to show that early exposure to BPA can cause symptoms similar to PCOS in adulthood. The levels of BPA used in the experiments were high compared to current estimates of human exposure. 15 June 2010. More...

Environmental and experimental exposure of phthalate esters: The toxicological consequence on human sperm. Scientist found a significant correlation between certain phthalate esters and sperm motility both in vitro and in vivo. Link to abstract

Slightly preterm, healthy babies do OK later on. Babies born at 34 to 36 weeks' pregnancy who have problems such as difficulty breathing or eating, the study's authors say, may still be at a developmental disadvantage later in life. Reuters Health. 14 June 2010.

Later menopause for women with polycystic ovaries. Good news for women with polycystic ovary syndrome - not normally a cause for celebration. Not only are they just as likely to have children as any other woman, but they have a better chance of conceiving later in life. New Scientist. 8 June 2010.

Two new studies - one human and one rat - show that active BPA and its inactive metabolite freely cross the placenta from a pregnant mother to the fetus. Even more important are the chemical transformations that occur in the fetus: the active form of BPA remains active while the inactive form can be converted to the active form. Together, these studies provide evidence that prebirth exposures occur in people and may pose a bigger risk to the developing fetus than previously thought. 7 June 2010. More...

Toxic chemicals finding their way into the womb. A growing number of studies are finding hundreds of toxic chemicals in mothers' and, subsequently, their babies' bodies when they are born. CNN. 3 June 2010.

Male reproduction in a chemical world. Dr. Shanna Swan, an epidemiologist at the University of Rochester, studied the effects of phthalates on the male reproductive system. Her findings not only spell problems for the male sex, but pose profound questions about the effects everyday items have on human health. Rochester City Newspaper, New York. 3 June 2010.

PBDEs -- chemicals widely used to prevent fires in household products like furniture and electronics -- may contribute to fertility problems by lengthening the time it takes for a woman to get pregnant, according to a study of low-income, mostly Mexican-American women living in California. The study is one of the first to examine if PBDEs can affect human fertility. Animal studies show that PBDEs can alter behavior, delay the onset of puberty and impact sex hormones and thyroid hormones. These, in turn, may influence ovulation, menstrual cycle regularity and fertility. 3 June 2010. More...

Study links antidepressant use and miscarriage. Pregnancy is often fraught with complications, not least for women suffering from depression while carrying a child: new research suggests that women who take antidepressant medications during pregnancy may have an increased risk of miscarriage. Time Magazine. 2 June 2010.

Calcium tied to prostate cancer in Chinese men. Calcium intake, not necessarily from dairy products, may increase prostate cancer risk in men of slight build, a study of Chinese men shows. Reuters Health. 2 June 2010.

Newborn mice fed genistein-enriched soy formula during the first five days of life developed abnormalities of the ovary, uterus and thymus gland that were estrogen related and persisted into adulthood. As adults, the mice had fewer reproductive cycles in a month than the untreated mice. The findings show that eating genistein right after birth causes short and long-term changes and raises concerns for health effects on human infants fed soy-based formula during their early months. 2 June 2010. More...

Dole proposes new settlements. After fighting lawsuits for decades over its use of a dangerous pesticide in the 1970s, Dole Food Co. is attempting a breakthrough move to settle outstanding claims by its former workers. Los Angeles Business Journal. 31 May 2010.

Second-hand smoke plagues pregnant Chinese women. Nearly half of all expectant mothers in Chinese mainland cities are exposed to secondhand smoke, results from a recent survey released on Friday showed. China Daily. 29 May 2010.
Announcements
A daily news feed with these announcements is now available on CHE's website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/news/announce.

Job openings: Anchorage, Alaska.
The Alaska Conservation Foundation has openings for a director of finance and operations, a communications intern, and a director for the Alaskans for Energy Freedom campaign. Read more

Job opening: Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Ecology Center is seeking a communications director who can work with the newest communications techniques as well as traditional communications methods to promote the Ecology Center and its local, state and national campaigns. Applications received prior to July 1 will be given priority, but EC will continue to receive applications until the position is filled. Read more

Job opening: Arlington, Virginia.
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is recruiting a senior director for environmental health. Search the website for positions in Virginia. 
Read more

Job opening: Amherst, Massachusetts.
The National Religious Partnership for the Environment seeks a dynamic and creative leader as executive director. Read more

Job opening: Bahrain.
HR Intelligence is recruiting a full-time, permanent environmental health project manager. Read more

Job opening: Washington, DC.
Earthjustice seeks Associate Legislative Counsel and Legislative Counsel for non-profit public interest law firm. Major responsibilities include advocacy for, and analysis of, federal legislation and rulemakings regarding clean air, with a particular emphasis on air toxics. Position requires knowledge of administrative rulemaking and prior administrative or legislative advocacy experience. Email jgraham@earthjustice.org for more details.

Job opening: Seattle, Washington.
The Northwest Environmental Training Center is seeking workshop instructors for a variety of courses, including "Mercury Effects on Ecosystems and Human Health." This position is contracted per course with flexible dates in major cities across the country. Read more

Job opening: Washington, DC.
The nationally accredited journalism program of The School of Communication at American University is seeking an experienced journalist with a strong record/expertise in health, science, and/or environmental journalism for a tenure-track position beginning in August 2010. Read more

Job opening: Wenatchee, Washington.
The Chelan-Douglas Health District has an opening for an environmental health specialist to conduct routine public health inspections, review facility designs for code compliance and more. The position will stay open until filled. Read more

EPA releases draft dioxin report for peer review and public comment.
This comprehensive human health and exposure risk assessment on dioxin, one of the most toxic environmental contaminants, aims to protect the health of the American public. The draft report will now undergo scientific peer review by independent, external experts as well as public review and comment. Read more
[See related articles: A new source of dioxins: Clean hands, River sediments contain dioxins linked to Triclosan and Dioxins reassessed plus one about the legacy of dioxin in Agent Orange: Vietnam's struggle with Agent Orange]

Calendar of Events & Submission Deadlines
Online Calendar. These and more upcoming events and proposal/abstract deadlines are listed in the CHE-Fertility searchable calendar.

1) Teleconference/Webcast: The New Science of How Herbicides Affect Health and the Environment - Dispelling the Myth of "The Dose Makes the Poison": A Case Study of Glyphosate and the Alaska Railroad
Wednesday June 30, 2010
9:00 a.m. Alaska time / 10:00 a.m. Pacific time

Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment - Alaska

New scientific evidence from the fields of toxicology, endocrinology, developmental biology and biochemistry shows that a core assumption of toxicology, "the dose makes the poison," is inadequate as a basis for regulatory standards to protect human health. Evidence shows that pesticides have interactive effects and adverse health effects at extremely low levels - below EPA allowable levels. These effects include adverse neurological, endocrine, immune, reproductive and developmental health outcomes. Over the past three decades, citizens of Alaska have consistently voiced strong opposition to the use of herbicides by the Alaska Railroad and have successfully prevented the Railroad from applying herbicides since 1982. Alaskans have particular concern about the use of herbicides along the rail belt because of the many streams, wetlands, rivers and groundwater sources of drinking water. In addition, many people harvest wild plants, wildlife and fish along the rail belt. This year, however, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation granted the Alaska Railroad a permit allowing them to spray the harmful pesticide glyphosate, as well as additional solvents and surfactants that make the herbicide more persistent and toxic. Join us for a discussion of the current science of low-dose effects of glyphosate, the status of the EPA's review of glyphosate, and why communities throughout Alaska oppose herbicide use along the railroad. We will explore what policy changes are necessary to protect public health.

Price: free

Visit the website

Contact: Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 907-222-7714 or diana@akaction.org

2) Training/Workshop: Air, Water and You: Environmental Health Topics for Your Science Curriculum
July 8 - 9, 2010
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), 111 T.W. Alexander Drive

Sponsor: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

This two-day teacher professional development workshop will familiarize teachers with EHP's environmental health lessons related to air and water quality as well as provide participants with the opportunity to hear from NIEHS and EPA scientists and visit NIEHS research labs investigating the relationship between the environment and human health. To help integrate environmental health literacy into their courses, participants will receive inquiry-based instructional materials aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and classroom supplies. This professional development opportunity is open to high school science teachers who address biology, chemistry and/or environmental science topics. Workshop participants are eligible to receive continuing education units (CEU) credits.

Price: free

Visit the website

Contact: Karen Warren, 919-653-2581 or kwarren@brogan.com

3) Conference/Seminar: NACCHO Annual 2010
Wednesday through Friday, July 14 - 16, 2010
Memphis, Tennessee at the Memphis Cook Convention Center, Marriott Memphis Downtown

Sponsor: National Association of County & City Health Officials

The goal of the NACCHO Annual 2010 Conference is to enhance the ability of participants to create and build upon a forward-looking vision of local public health through disease-prevention interventions and wellness promotion, elimination of health inequities among individuals and communities, and expanded leadership capacity within local health departments.

Price: see the Registration page

Visit the website

Contact: NACCHO, 202-783-5550 or info@naccho.org

4) Conference/Seminar: Reproductive Health 2010
Wednesday through Saturday, September 22 - 25, 2010
Atlanta, Georgia
at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta

Sponsor: Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP), Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), and Society of Family Planning (SFP)

Information will be posted on the website.

Visit the website

Contact: Marlo Polonsky, SFP grants officer, 866-584-6758 ext. 302 or mpolonsky@societyfp.org

5) Conference/Seminar: La Leche League Of Washington Parenting & Breastfeeding Conference
Friday through Sunday, October 15 - 17, 2010
Redmond, Washington at the Redmond Marriott Town Center

Sponsor: La Leche League Of Washington

The conference theme is "Embrace, Enrich, Embolden!" The conference offers a unique opportunity to meet other like-minded parents and professionals while learning about breastfeeding, parenting, childbirth, discipline, nutrition and child development from parents and professionals who are experts on these topics. Conference sessions and schedule will be online May 1, 2010. Registration will begin in July 2010.

Price: unknown

Visit the website

Contact: Jennifer Wenzel, Wenzel05@live.com

6) Conference/Seminar: American Society for Reproductive Medicine 66th Annual Meeting
Saturday through Wednesday, October 23 - 27, 2010
Denver, Colorado at the Colorado Convention Center

Sponsor: American Society for Reproductive Medicine

The call for abstracts is currently open on the website.

Price: unknown

Visit the website

7) Conference/Seminar: 138th Annual APHA Meeting & Exposition
Saturday through Wednesday, November 6 - 10, 2010
Denver, Colorado at the Colorado Convention Center

Sponsor: American Public Health Association

The conference theme is "Social Justice: A Public Health Imperative." The social circumstances in which we are born, live, and work, play a greater role in longevity and overall health in the United States than genes, health insurance and access to health services. Annual Meeting sessions will explore why certain populations bear a disproportionate burden of disease and mortality and what the public health community can do to better address the causes of these inequities.

Price: see the Registration Fees page

Visit the website

Contact: APHA, 202-777-APHA

8) Call for Abstracts: 6th International Conference on the Impact of Environmental Factors on Health
Deadline: December 31, 2010 (this date may be adjusted as the conference date approaches)
Riga, Latvia 

Sponsor: Wessex Institute of Technology and the Journal of Saftey and Security Engineering

Health problems related to the environment have become a major source of concern all over the world. The health of the population depends upon good quality environmental factors including air, water, soil, food and many others. The aim of society is to establish measures that can eliminate or considerably reduce hazardous factors from the human environment to minimize the associated health risks. The ability to achieve these objectives is in great part dependent on the development of suitable experimental, modeling and interpretive techniques, which allow a balanced assessment of the risk involved as well as suggesting ways in which the situation can be improved. The interaction between environmental risk and health is often complex and can involve a variety of social, occupational and lifestyle factors. This emphasises the importance of considering an interdisciplinary approach. The language of the conference will be English. The conference is scheduled for Monday through Wednesday, July 25 - 27, 2011.

Visit the website

Contact: Irene Moreno Millan, 44 (0) 238 029 3223 or imoreno@wessex.ac.uk

9) Conference/Seminar: 2011 National Healthy Homes Conference
Sunday through Wednesday, June 20 - 23, 2011
Denver, Colorado at the Colorado Convention Center

Sponsor: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Healthy Homes, US Department of Health and Human Services, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Energy, US Department of Agriculture

This year's theme, "Leading the Nation to Healthy Homes, Families, and Communities," reflects the growing demand for building and sustaining housing and communities that are healthy, safe and green for America's families. The conference will offer over 100 educational sessions covering eight topic areas.

Price: unknown

Visit the website

Contact: 888-644-2586 or info@healthyhomesconference.org
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment offers this information as a service but does not endorse any of the events, articles or announcements. 

Please email Julia Varshavsky, CHE's Fertility/Reproductive Health Working Group Coordinator, at julia@healthandenvironment.org with any questions, comments, or suggestions.

If you would like to join the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) and the Fertility/Reproductive Health Working Group, please complete the application on the CHE website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/application. Joining CHE means receiving up to four email messages a month from the CHE National listserv. CHE costs nothing to join and the benefit is shared information and opportunities for further engagement, if you choose. Be sure to mark that you want to join the CHE Fertility/Reproductive Health Working Group at the bottom of the application.
 
Julia Varshavsky
Collaborative on Health and the Environment
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