A new peer‑reviewed study that reviews 177 studies argues that simultaneous exposure to endocrine‑disrupting chemicals—like microplastics, bisphenol, phthalates, and PFAS—and climate‑change–related stressors such as heat stress and hypoxia likely yields additive or synergistic effects that reduce fertility across humans, wildlife, and invertebrates.

Endocrine disruptors can interfere with hormones and reproductive development across species, with examples including phthalates affecting sperm in animals and humans, and PFAS impacting sperm quality and development.

Endocrine‑disrupting chemicals such as phthalates, PFAS, microplastics, and other plastics‑related substances are linked to hormone disruption and reduced reproductive capacity, seen across invertebrates, wildlife, and humans.

The article notes that more overlapping data and research are needed to fully understand the extent and mechanisms of combined effects, but the authors call for urgent measures to mitigate both chemical exposure and climate risks.

Although each stressor has been studied separately, there is limited research on their combined effects; when they occur together, the effects could be additive or more harmful.

Experts quoted in the article, including study lead Susanne Brander and co‑author Shanna Swan, emphasize that simultaneous exposure to multiple stressors is likely to worsen fertility outcomes beyond either factor alone.

The findings align with broader concerns about a global move toward lower fertility, supported by data from the University of Washington and earlier sperm‑count trends in Western countries.

The findings bolster calls for policy action to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals and address climate change, pointing to regulatory successes like the Stockholm Convention’s reductions in DDT and PCBs as examples of effective intervention.

The study analyzed 177 studies and highlighted insights from researchers Susanne Brander and Shanna Swan, noting the potential for greater fertility declines when combining toxins with climate impacts.

The authors suggest these combined stressors may contribute to a broad global decline in fertility, building on prior findings that sperm counts and fertility are already decreasing in many populations.

Researchers stress that joint effects are understudied and potentially more severe, prompting calls for policy actions to reduce chemical emissions and use, echoing past successes in reducing DDT and PCBs.

The study underscores the ubiquity of endocrine‑disrupting chemicals in consumer products and their cross‑species effects, highlighting the need for integrated environmental health policies.