[Progress in research of association between heavy metal exposure during fetus period and childhood and early/delayed pubertal timing in children].

Early/delayed pubertal timing has become a significant global public health concern due to its profound effects on growth patterns and mental health of children and adolescents. Heavy metal exposure is one of the important environmental factors influencing the pubertal timing. Heavy metals can enter the human body in various ways, affecting the secretory function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, inducing oxidative stress response, and increasing the expression of estrogen receptor-α, thereby disrupting the normal growth and development process. Fetus period and childhood are the key window periods for children's growth and development, during which organs and systems are in the stage of gradual development and maturation. During these periods, the body's ability to metabolize environmental heavy metals is relatively limited, rendering the impact of heavy metal exposure on puberty development more pronounced. This paper aims to explore the association of heavy metal exposure during fetus period and childhood with early/delayed pubertal timing, and clarify the biological mechanism to provide a reference for the early/delayed pubertal timing prevention and intervention in children, and further promote public attention to environmental heavy metal exposure and children's health.