The Impact of Agent Orange on Third and Fourth Generation Exposure Victims

Abstract

Agent Orange, an herbicide mixture used during the Vietnam War, has relatively little conclusive research compared to other medical topics. During the war, it was discovered that the herbicide mixture had produced a by-product known as 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, also known as TCDD. TCDD is known to be a toxic endocrine disruptor that can alter the growth of hormones and tissue production. Exposure to a chemical agent such as TCDD has the potential to cause transgenerational effects in females (Flaws et al., 2019). When examining Agent Orange impacts, the research field has lacked coverage regarding the impacts from the chemical on third and fourth generation exposure victims. This review aimed to highlight any connections between these generations and any hereditary effects from Agent Orange. Using a correlational quantitative study, the results did not evaluate the initial objective but instead revealed connections between United States Vietnamese War veterans and second generational females. It was found that endocrine disruption (unbalance in hormones due to chemical exposure) and reproductive abnormalities were commonly connected within second generational females. This suggested that people directly exposed the chemical may have passed on hormone-production imbalances, ultimately leading to reproductive abnormalities in second generational women. By analyzing the gap and finding new correlations, this research provides valuable insight that may benefit future studies on Agent Orange.