Supervisors info:
Ανδρέας Χ. Λάζαρης, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Νικόλαος Καβαντζάς, Καθηγητής , Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Ρωξάνη Αγγελοπούλου, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
With the development of the industrial production and the increased use of new industrial products, human exposure to harmful substances called endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has increased. EDCs are substances which alter the normal functioning of the endocrine system and cause undesirable effects on various human systems such as urogenital, immune and nervous system. (NIH, 2017)
The aim of the present study was to find correlations between EDCs exposure during prenatal, neonatal and infant period and the negative effects on children’s health. The methodology of the survey was data collection from international organizations, local organizations and previous studies and organizing and comparing all data, in order to get to the conclusions of the study.
In this study, the impact of EDCs on children’s health (age 0-18 years) focuses on their previous exposure during fetal life but also during the first year of life. The prenatal, neonatal and infant period are windows of exposure, which have a major influence on children's development and which are greatly affected by EDCs. (Fudvoye J. et al., 2014) (Parent A. et al., 2011)
In the first chapter there is a discussion about the anatomy, embryology, histology and physiology of the endocrine system. There is a special reference to hormones that affect sex differentiation, but also to thyroid hormones that have strong effects on child development, such as brain development. (Bernal J., 2015)
The second chapter deals extensively with endocrine disorders. After defining EDCs, their main mechanisms of action are explained in order to understand that even minimal exposure to EDCs can have harmful effects, especially on children. (NIH, 2017) Reference is then made to the most common EDCs, such as pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins.
In the third chapter, the stages of prenatal and child development are defined. Based on these, sources of exposure to EDCs during the fetal, neonatal and infant period are categorized. The most recent data of the effects of EDCs exposure during the prenatal, neonatal and infant period on children's health are listed and analyzed. There is a discussion about the negative effects of EDCs on child development, on the immune, urogenital and nervous system and thyroid glands of children.
In conclusion, the data from international, national and local organizations, as well as from the international bibliography show that there is a strong correlation between exposure to EDCs during prenatal, neonatal and infant period of life and negative effects on children’s health.
Keywords:
EDCs, Children's health, Prenatal period, Neonatal period, Infant period
