Stress and Androgen Activity During Fetal Development.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Developmental Biology
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Prenatal stress is known to affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
• Emerging evidence suggests prenatal stress also influences androgen activity.
• Human studies indicate sex-dependent effects of prenatal stress on child outcomes and disease prevalence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on prenatal stress and androgenic activity.
• To present preliminary data on the interaction between prenatal stress and diethylhexyl phthalate exposure.
• To investigate effects on reproductive development in infant boys.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing studies on prenatal stress and androgenic activity.
• Analysis of preliminary data examining prenatal stress, diethylhexyl phthalate exposure, and reproductive development.
• Focus on the maternal-placental-fetal unit's hormonal pathways.

Main Results:

• Prenatal stress disrupts testosterone surges in male animal models.
• Human data suggest associations between prenatal stress and masculinization in girls.
• Preliminary findings indicate prenatal stress may modify the effects of diethylhexyl phthalate on male infant reproductive development.

Conclusions:

• Prenatal exposure to both chemical and nonchemical stressors can alter sex steroid pathways.
• These alterations in the maternal-placental-fetal unit may impact hormone-dependent developmental endpoints.
• Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay of prenatal stressors on development.