AbstractRecent decades have seen progress in the identifi-cation and quantification of a wide array of chemicals with endocrine-active properties. Exposure to these so-called en-docrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been implicated in an increase in certain adverse health effects, and some new prospective birth cohort studies have yielded suggestive re-sults on these exposure-effect relationships. Major research efforts have focused on the EDC exposure of women of child-bearing age, because of concerns about embryonic and fetal susceptibility to these chemicals. Investigations have shown that mothers and children are exposed to a complexmixture of compounds; therefore, studies on the health impact of EDC exposure should not be limited to the individual effects of single agents but should rather consider the cumulative effects of multiple chemicals. There is considerable political debate about the need for measures to reduce or avoid exposure to EDCs. While a tighter regulation of exposure to EDCs is being implemented, health professionals and public health practitioners should acquire knowledge of the problem, rec-ognize exposure, and warn the general population about the health risks. KeywordsEndocrine disruptors. Adverse effects.Risk assessment.Prenatal exposure