The Phthalate Syndrome Is Causing Mass Sterility...
* Sperm counts dropped by 59.3% from 1973 to 2011, possibly in large part due to exposure to environmental chemicals like phthalates
* Sperm count, testosterone and fertility are dropping, and testicular cancer and miscarriage are rising, all at about 1% per year
* Phthalate syndrome refers to a number of disturbances to male reproductive development that have been observed after exposure to phthalates in utero
* Women’s exposure to phthalates during pregnancy is linked to male babies’ anogenital distance (AGD) --" the distance from the anus to the base of the penis --" with higher exposure associated with shortened AGD
* Later in life, shorter AGD is linked with a smaller penis and poorer semen quality, such that Swan believes AGD at birth is predictive of adult reproductive function
* Swan believes that humans, as a species, satisfy several of the criteria for endangerment and our species is threatened due to phthalates and other chemicals’ effects on fertility