MINI REVIEW article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Occupational Health and Safety
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1628858
This article is part of the Research TopicFrom North to South: A Global Perspective on the Impact of Endocrine Disruptors on Reproductive Development and FunctionView all articles
Environmental and Occupational Risks to Reproductive Health in Women Service Members and Veterans
Provisionally accepted
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, United States
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Women have played a vital role in the U.S. military for decades, with their presence steadily increasing. However, despite this growth, research on the unique occupational and environmental exposures they face remains limited, highlighting the need for greater understanding to improve reproductive health outcomes. Chemical exposures such as burn pit emissions, airborne particulates, heavy metals, and pesticides can disrupt hormone regulation and pose risks for fertility, miscarriage, preterm birth, and congenital anomalies. Additional risks include unsafe water sources, contaminated soil, increased vaccinations, and extreme environmental conditions. However, studies on these exposures remain inconsistent, with some indicating significant reproductive risks while others show minimal or no impact. This mini review highlights what is currently known about the impact of military-related environmental and occupational exposures on women's reproductive health and identifies key gaps in the literature.Further research is essential to determine high-risk exposures, guide policy development, and support early intervention strategies. Addressing the long-term impact of military-related environmental exposures is crucial for ensuring better health outcomes and facilitating access to care for female service members and veterans.
Keywords: Environmental exposures, Occupational exposures, Women, Military Personnel, Reproductive Health
Received: 14 May 2025; Accepted: 04 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Clark. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Kendra L Clark, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, United States
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