ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND MENSTRUAL CYCLE: A REVIEW OF BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS AND HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

Research increasingly points to environmental pollution as a significant factor in disrupting women’s reproductive health, particularly menstrual cycles. This review synthesizes current evidence on how air pollutants, water contaminants, soil-based toxicants, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with menstrual function. The mechanisms at play include endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, inflammation, and genetic damage, all of which can destabilize the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, alter hormone synthesis, and impair follicle development. Many studies associate these exposures with irregular cycles, dysmenorrhea, anovulation, and amenorrhea. However, the evidence remains limited by inconsistent exposure assessments, residual confounding, and varying definitions of menstrual disorders. To strengthen causal inferences, better biomarkers, both for exposure and biological response, are needed. While current data suggest environmental pollutants pose a real risk to menstrual health, more rigorous, longitudinal studies with standardized measures and improved exposure tracking are essential. Only then can we clarify dose-response relationships, identify critical windows of vulnerability, and understand how mixtures of pollutants interact in the body.