The Consequences of Prenatal Excess Androgen Exposure in Anatomy of the Reproductive System and Physiology

The effects of environmental exposure during critical periods of gestational life on fetal growth and development have been confirmed by a large number of studies on human and animal models. Sex hormons are among the most influential environmental factor which affect on growth and development of different organs of fetus. Among them, androgens are the most important ones because they have various sources of production and secretion. Result previous studies that exposure to androgens during pregnancy may act as a teratogenic agent and cause defects, deministrated in offspring's endocrine and neural system developments. Considering the importance of this critical period for the development of some abnormal features in adulthood, basic research and clinical prevention efforts need to be run at this stage. This review article presents evidence on the effect of excessive androgens during fetal life on embryo development and evolution, which can lead to the development of certain phenotypes / diseases in adulthood.