Female fetuses exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals are highly likely to develop endometriosis in later life, a member of a research team at Okayama University's department of medicine said Thursday.
Team leader Akihiko Seki told Kyodo News that a study by the group also shows that girls are unlikely to suffer endometriosis -- a condition in which endometrial tissue grows in abnormal locations, often resulting in severe pain or infertility -- even if they are fed with breast milk contaminated with the chemicals.
The results of the study will be reported to a two-day conference on endocrine disrupters in Yokohama from Friday.
Seki said his group became interested in the fact that levels of endocrine disrupters drop in mothers after they breast-feed.