Tampons, dioxins, and endometriosis

Anthony R. Scialli, A R Scialli, Scialli AR
Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) · 2001 · vol. 15(3) , pp. 231–238 · doi:10.1016/s0890-6238(01)00134-4 · PMID:11390166 · W1989954069
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This paper examines the potential link between dioxins found in tampons and the development of endometriosis.

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Abstract

Concern has been expressed that rayon tampons contain dioxins as a result of chlorine bleaching and, further, that the dioxins in tampons may increase the risk of endometriosis. Rayon tampons do not contain 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, the chemical commonly meant when the generic term "dioxin" is used. In addition, rayon tampons contain only trivial amounts of dioxin-like environmental contaminants, similar to the amounts contained in unbleached cotton tampons. The amount of dioxin-like material that is theoretically available from tampons is at least six orders of magnitude lower than estimated daily food exposure levels to these contaminants. The evidence for a causal relationship between environmental exposure to dioxins and endometriosis is inconsistent. Prediction of the effective dioxin dose based on the most suggestive of the primate studies on endometriosis does not raise concerns about typical human food exposures to these compounds, let alone the considerably lower levels that could be present in tampons.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollutants Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins Tampons, Surgical Animals Endometriosis Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollutants Environmental Pollutants Female Humans Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (46)

Cited by (8)

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK