A mechanistic-based approach for assessing chemical hazards to parturition

Evaluations of environmental hazards to pregnancy often overlook the potent ial for chemicals to disrupt the final event, childbirth. There are relativ ely few epidemiologic studies on this topic and even fewer toxicologic inve stigations. Mechanistic-based approaches offset many of the difficulties th at are anticipated with intact laboratory animals, such as interspecies var iability in the initiating events, and may allow for rapid and relevant ass essment of potential chemical hazards. In vitro systems based on knowledge of the cellular events that underlie parturition may, therefore, facilitate investigation of toxicologic aspects of parturition. Nonetheless, limitati ons of in vitro mechanistic-based approaches exist. Ultimately, the greates t understanding of risk to pregnancy from environmental chemicals is likely to result from the collaborative efforts of laboratory scientists and epid emiologists.