Cryptorchidism and Hypospadias in Sons of Gardeners and Farmers

Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 106, Number 12, Dec98

[ Images of Cryptorchidism and Hypospadias below not part of this paper ]

Ida Sloth Weidner,1 Henrik Møller,2 Tina Kold Jensen,1 and Niels E. Skakkebæk1

1Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
2Centre for Research in Health and Social Statistics, The Danish National Research Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract
Cryptorchidism and hypospadias have been related to prenatal estrogen exposure in animal models. Some chemicals used in farming and gardening have been shown to possess estrogenic and other hormone-disrupting effects. Earlier studies have indicated increased risks of urogenital malformations in the sons of pesticide appliers. In the present study, parental occupation in the farming and gardening industry among 6,177 cases of cryptorchidism, 1,345 cases of hypospadias, and 23,273 controls, born live from 1983 to 1992 in Denmark, was investigated in a register-based case-control study. A significantly increased risk of cryptorchidism but not hypospadias was found in sons of women working in gardening (adjusted odds ratio = 1.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-2.47). The risks were not increased in sons of men working in farming or gardening. The increased risk of cryptorchidism among sons of female gardeners could suggest an association with prenatal exposure to occupationally related chemicals. Key words: case-control studies, cryptorchidism, hypospadias, pesticides. Environ Health Perspect 106:793-796 (1998). [Online 12 November 1998]

http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1998/106p793-796slothweidner/abstract.html

Address correspondence to I. Sloth Weidner, Department of Growth and Reproduction, 5064 Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

We thank Lisbeth B. Knudsen, Statistics Denmark, for her help and advice on the project.

This project was supported by EU contract BMH4-CT96-0314, Health Insurance Fond, and Direktør Ib Henriksens Fond.

Received 24 March 1998; accepted 22 July 1998

Last Update: November 11, 1998

Cryptorchidism

Hypospadias

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