PROTECT Project 1 and Research Translation Core along with the CRECE Community Outreach Core have collaborated to produce a Reproductive Health and the Environment Bulletin, which presents up-to-date research about environmental exposures and preterm birth.
With over 100 studies referenced, the Bulletin provides a comprehensive overview of research on health outcomes associated with exposure to pesticides, bisphenol A (BPA), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, or flame retardants), air pollution, lead, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The Bulletin focuses especially on the reproductive outcomes of these exposures, including early-onset puberty, decreased fertility, and preterm births. In addition to the broad overview, the Bulletin outlines PROTECT’s findings to date, including the associations between phenols and parabens with oxidative stress and inflammation that may cause adverse birth outcomes.
Along with the research, the Bulletin provides a list of resources and steps to take to avoid exposures. The Bulletin will be distributed to healthcare professionals in Puerto Rico and is also available online at PROTECT’s Resource Center.