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799699 
Journal Article 
Abstract 
Phthalates and male reproductive health: new research directions 
Hauser, R 
2007 
Yes 
American Journal of Epidemiology
ISSN: 0002-9262
EISSN: 1476-6256 
DART/TER/7000657 
165 
11 Suppl 
S41 
English 
Phthalates, diesters of phthalic acid, are multifunctional chemicals widely used in personal care products, in food packaging and processing materials, and to soften a wide range of plastics, including medical products such as polyvinyl chloride blood and intravenous bags. Their ubiquitous use has resulted in widespread general population exposurevia dietary ingestion, dermal absorption, inhalation, and parenteral exposure frommedical devices containing phthalates. Although toxicological studies have consistently shown that somephthalates are reproductive and developmental toxicants, there is limited epidemiologic data on the potential effects of phthalate exposure on male reproductive function. Two recent human studies explored associations of urinary concentrations of phthalateswith semen quality and spermDNAdamage. In a U.S. study, associations were found between monobutyl and monobenzyl phthalate and lower sperm concentration and motility. In addition, monoethyl andmonethylhexyl phthalatewere associatedwith increased sperm DNA damage. However, a Swedish study did not find relationships between these phthalates and semen quality or spermDNAdamage. In the presentation, data from these two primary studies will be discussed and potential explanations will be offered for the inconsistent results. In the field of reproductive environmental health there remain many unanswered questions regarding the impact of the environment on male reproductive health. Suggested needs include studies that target populations with high exposure to chemicals, including phthalates. We also need to identify susceptibility factors and critical exposure windows (life stages) that may increase a man’s risk of infertility. Finally,we need to developmethods to better studymixtures of chemicals and develop methods to assess clinical reproductive outcomes of human exposure to the ever-growing list of chemicals. 
Humans; Male; Phthalic Acids/TOXICITY; Semen/DRUG EFFECTS/METABOLISM; Sperm Motility/DRUG EFFECTS; DNA Damage; Reproduction/DRUG EFFECTS; NO CAS RN 
35th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology