Environmental Effects on Fertility

Dr. Patricia Hunt explores how a commonly used chemical with hormone-like effects may impact human reproduction.

On November 10th the Science & Technology Discovery Series welcomed Dr. Patricia Hunt, the Edward R. Meyer Distinguished Professor in Life and Environmental Science at Washington State University. Dr. Hunt’s work has focused on the relationship between maternal age and chromosome errors in human pregnancies, but a laboratory accident changed the course of her research. After observing a dramatic and unexpected increase in chromosome abnormalities in mice used as control animals in an experiment, Dr. Hunt turned her attention to damaged plastic cages and water bottles, and the chemical bisphenol A.

Bisphenol A, which is commonly found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, has been shown to have hormone-like effects on the body. Dr. Hunt is trying to discover how exposure to this chemical can impact chromosome development through multiple generations.

Did you know...?

• An estimated 20% of human pregnancies have a chromosome abnormality.
• Human egg development begins in the womb, where a female at 8 weeks of gestation begins making the eggs that she will ovulate as an adult.
• More than 6 billion pounds of bisphenol A are produced each year. The chemical was conceived originally as a synthetic estrogen.

The podcast of Dr. Hunt's presentation is available on the Technology Alliance web site.

Science & Technology Discovery Series is sponsored by:
Armfield, Harrison & Thomas, Inc., Perkins Coie, and Swedish Medical Center.