The Relationship between Xenoestrogen Exposure and Early Puberty among Young Females Living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Background: Xenoestrogen (estrogen disruptors) are artificial estrogen compounds, which are found in the environment and in various synthetic chemical products. Xenoestrogen have been claimed to affect the process of puberty among young females. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between exposure to various xenoestrogen products and the factor of early puberty among younger females in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah for the time frame of one month. The study selected 568 younger females from different areas of Jeddah. Pubertal staging was done using the Tanner staging. The relevant data was collected through a questionnaire. Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient did data analysis. Results: There was a significant association among the use of children toys, age of breast (p-value = 0.040), and pubic hair development (p-value=0.028). The consumption of children plastic bottles also showed a significant correlation with early pubic hair development (p-value=0.048). The increased frequency usage of water plastic bottles, plastic packaging materials, women cosmetics and food preservations showed an inverse effect on pubertal signs. Conclusion: This study confirmed the association between using xenoestrogen products and early puberty in young females living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The study has evaluated that different association between the use of xenoestrogen products and the occurrence of early puberty was observed among the selected population. Therefore, it is advised to decrease the use of products that contain xenoestrogen in the daily life.