Health, Homosexuality

Where did all the baby boys go?

Published on: September 9th, 2005
Modified on: September 9th, 2005
Where did all the baby boys go?

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/sex/mg18725154.800

EVIDENCE continues to pile up that hormone-disrupting chemicals can gender-bend human babies.

Earlier this year it was reported that the sons of women exposed to phthalates during pregnancy tend to have smaller penises ( New Scientist , 4 June, p 11). This was the first direct evidence that such chemicals can feminise fetuses in the womb.

Now nearly twice as many girls as boys are being born in the Aamjiwnaang community, who live next door to the Sarnia-Lambton Chemical Valley complex in Ontario, Canada. And though no chemical has yet been shown to be to blame, high levels of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), which also has hormone-disrupting properties, have been found in the local soil, and phthalates are being emitted from part of the complex.

The proportion of male births began falling around 1993, says Constanze Mackenzie of the University of Ottawa. And the ratio has become more skewed since then. Between 1999 and 2003, the community saw just 46 boys born compared to 86 girls ( Environmental Health Perspectives , DOI: 10.1289/ehp.8479).

People living in the community have not yet been tested for contaminants in their blood, but chemicals are "at the top of our list" of possible causes, she says.

Journal reference: Environmental Health Perspectives (DOI: 10.1289/ehp.8479)

From issue 2515 of New Scientist magazine, 05 September 2005, page 13

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Britain At Sex Disease - Crisis Point Say MPs

Published on: June 13th, 2003
Modified on: June 13th, 2003

11.06.2003


Britain faces a public health emergency caused by the failure of ministers over many years to confront the issue of sexual disease, MPs say today.

The cross-party Commons health committee says in a report that it is "appalled by the crisis in sexual health".

Its MPs say: "We do not use the word 'crisis' lightly but in this case it is appropriate."

Blaming lack of political will, failure by NHS bodies to recognise the scale of the problem and lack of money to deal with it, MPs say sexual health must be treated as a priority.

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Chemicals Produce Gender-Bending Risk To Children

Published on: May 28th, 2003
Modified on: May 28th, 2003
Minute amounts of ''gender bender'' chemicals found in food and the environment are affecting the behaviour of pre-school children, new research shows.
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