It is estimated that individuals are exposed to hundreds of potentially harmful chemicals at any given time, where it is nearly impossible to find unexposed populations anywhere in the world. Exposure routes include eating, drinking, breathing, and dermal absorption. After chemicals enter the body, their impact depends on their properties, whether they are excreted or stored, and their rates of entry and excretion. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are of particular concern, as they may impact metabolism and interfere with homeostatic feedback regulation of various endocrine organs by interfering with hormone production. In women, this may increase the risk of negative reproductive health outcomes.
Despite the inevitable exposure to EDCs, there is limited research that examines exposure routes and assessed which may have the greatest impact on female reproductive health. Therefore, my study is looking at various areas of potential chemical exposure in a woman’s life and how this can impact her reproductive health. If it is found that chemical exposure can influence female reproductive health, we will aim to determine which routes of chemical exposure seem to have the greatest effect.
We are seeking 3000 female participants between the ages of 18 to 35 who still currently experience a menstrual cycle from across Canada for this study. The study consists of a one-time survey, which will take between 45-60 minutes to complete. The survey does not need to be completed in one sitting and responses can be edited until the survey is submitted. Using an online survey, we will collect information about lifestyle choices, health status, and chemical exposure. The survey will include questions regarding reproductive health, product use, general health, mental health, work, and lifestyle choices that are known to impact reproductive health.
This study will be conducted by Kyley Drach, under the supervision of Dr. Heidi Huttunen-Hennelly (Department of Chemistry), Dr. Kingsley Donkor (Department of Chemistry), and Dr. Mark Rakobowchuk (Department of Biology). We hope that data collected will provide researchers with a better understanding of whether chemical exposure is related to women’s reproductive health. This information can help to shape future research projects related to this topic.
This research addresses the hypothesis that higher levels of exposure to harmful EDCs are more likely to result in higher reports of reproductive issues, such as increased pain and bleeding during menstruation. This research also addresses the hypothesis that lifestyle choices and health statuses can either increase or decrease a woman’s risk of experiencing pain and/or can increase or decrease bleeding during menstruation.
We hope that this information can be used to inform women of ways they can reduce their exposure to EDCs or change lifestyle habits to improve their reproductive health and quality of life. Including women in research is extremely important, especially in health and medical research, where women can often be underrepresented. This is why, for example, most pharmaceuticals pulled off the shelves for causing adverse health effects disproportionately affect women rather than men, as women are often excluded or underrepresented in drug trials. By further including women in research, and focusing on research topics directly related to women, we can help to bridge this research gap to improve women’s health and improve understanding of the female body.