Research of association between environmental endocrine disruptor bisphenol A and polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disease in the field of gynecological endocrinology, and the incidence of PCOS in reproductive age is 5%-10%. Etiology of PCOS is complex, and accumulated evidence has shown that, the occurrence of PCOS is associated with environmental factors. Bisphenol A is one of the typical environmental endocrine disruptors (EED), which is widely used in daily plastic products, such as mineral water bottles, foods packaging, etc.. Bisphenol A has weak estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity. Relevant epidemiology and basic experimental studies have shown that bisphenol A exposure may be involved in the occurrence and development of PCOS. The current potential biological mechanism between bisphenol A and PCOS needs to be elucidated. In this article, the authors intend to review the domestic and foreign literatures on the association between environmental endocrine disruptor bisphenol A and PCOS, to find reliable methods and basis for the prevention and treatment of PCOS. Key words: Polycystic ovary syndrome; Endocrine disruptors; Hazardous of substances; Environmental exposure; Bisphenol A; Women