The effect of ecoestrogens on the development of the mammalian reproductive system

Recently, it has been shown that the environment contains a large variety of chemical substances possessing estrogenic activity (ecoestrogens/environmental estrogens). In this connection, the problem of estrogenic effects exerted by the environment on animal ontogenesis is very important. Here, we review that available data concerning the effects of ecoestrogens on the development of the reproductive system in mammals. We discuss issues of reproductive toxicology related to the effects of these substances during prenatal and postnatal development, with special attention to the effect of ecoestrogens and modern reproductive technologies on preimplantation embryonic development.