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Abstract
It is estimated that close to 30% of all pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion. Although about 60% of spontaneous abortions are thought to be due to genetic, infectious, hormonal, and immunological factors, the role of the environment remains poorly understood. Pregnancy involves a delicate balance of hormonal and immunological functions, which may be affected by environmental substances. Many toxic substances that are persistent in the environment and accumulate in the fatty tissues may disrupt this equilibrium. This overview addresses known risk factors for spontaneous abortions and examines the role, if any, that environmental factors (chemical and physical) may play in the etiology of this adverse health outcome.
D. Krewski is the NSERC/SSHRC/McLaughlin Chair in Population Health Risk Assessment at the University of Ottawa. M Weselak was funded by the McLaughlin Foundation. The authors also gratefully acknowledge Roxanne Lewis of the McLaughlin Center for her editorial assistance with this article. This work does not necessarily reflect the views of Health Canada and no official endorsement should be inferred.