Bisphenols and their role in female infertility and hormone-related cancer

Various types of external chemicals can disrupt the endocrine system, interfering with normal hormone function and causing a broad spectrum of negative health effects. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a diverse group of natural and synthetic chemicals that are known to contaminate the environment. It is postulated that these agents can contribute to the development of many diseases, including infertility and cancer, because of their ability to interfere with estrogen receptors (ERs). Bisphenols (BPs) are a group of compounds that belong to EDCs, the most common of which is bisphenol A (BPA). Due to restrictions on the use of BPA in industry, analogues such as bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF) have been introduced. However, some reports indicate that BPA analogues also have negative effects on the endocrine system in both humans and animals because of their structural similarity. This review summarises current knowledge related to BPA, its analogues and their role in female infertility and hormone-related cancers. Furthermore, this review also points to the problem of exposure to more than one estrogenic agent and highlights the importance of considering exposure to multiple chemicals when assessing health effects and setting daily limits.