The silent threat and countermeasures: Navigating the mixture risk of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on pregnancy loss in China

Abstract

Currently, many countries and regions worldwide face the challenge of declining population growth due to persistently low rates of female reproduction. Since 2017, China's birth rate has hit historic lows and continued to decline, with the death rate now equaling the birth rate. Concerns have emerged regarding the potential impact of environmental contaminants on reproductive health, including pregnancy loss. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like phthalate esters (PAEs), bisphenol A (BPA), triclosan (TCS), and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have raised attention due to their adverse effects on biological systems. While China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) for national economic and social development included the treatment of emerging pollutants, including EDCs, there are currently no national appraisal standards or regulatory frameworks for EDCs and their mixtures. Addressing the risk of EDC mixtures is an urgent matter that needs consideration from China's perspective in the near future. In this Perspective, we delve into the link between EDC mixture exposure and pregnancy loss in China. Our focus areas include establishing a comprehensive national plan targeting reproductive-aged women across diverse urban and rural areas, understanding common EDC combinations in women and their surrounding environment, exploring the relationship between EDCs and pregnancy loss via epidemiology, and reconsidering the safety of EDCs, particularly in mixtures and low-dose scenarios. We envision that this study could aid in creating preventive strategies and interventions to alleviate potential risks induced by EDC exposure during pregnancy in China.