Air pollution and human fertility rates
- PMID: 24879367
- DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2014.05.005
Air pollution and human fertility rates
Abstract
Background: Some reports have suggested effects of air pollution on semen quality and success rates of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in humans and lower fertility rates in mice. However, no studies have evaluated the impact of air pollution on human fertility rates.
Aims: We assessed the association between traffic related air pollution and fertility rates in humans in Barcelona, Spain (2011-2012). We hypothesized that higher air pollution levels would be associated with lower fertility rates.
Methods: We calculated the general fertility rate which is the number of live births per 1000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 years per census tract. We used land use regression (LUR) modeling to estimate the air pollution concentrations (particulate matter, NO2/NOx) per census tract. We used Besag-York-Mollié models to quantify the relationship between air pollution and fertility rates with adjustment for a number of potential confounders such as maternal age and area level socio-economic status.
Results: We found a statistically significant reduction of fertility rates with an increase in traffic related air pollution levels, particularly for the coarse fraction of particulate matter (IRR=0.87 95% CI 0.82, 0.94 per IQR).
Conclusion: This is the first study in humans to show an association between reduced fertility rates and higher traffic related air pollution levels.
Keywords: Air pollution; Epidemiology; Fertility; Infertility.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Similar articles
-
Adult air pollution exposure and risk of infertility in the Nurses' Health Study II.Hum Reprod. 2016 Mar;31(3):638-47. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dev330. Epub 2016 Jan 2. Hum Reprod. 2016. PMID: 26724803 Free PMC article.
-
The London low emission zone baseline study.Res Rep Health Eff Inst. 2011 Nov;(163):3-79. Res Rep Health Eff Inst. 2011. PMID: 22315924
-
Air pollution and female fertility: a systematic review of literature.Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018 Dec 30;16(1):117. doi: 10.1186/s12958-018-0433-z. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018. PMID: 30594197 Free PMC article.
-
Impact of air pollution on fertility: a systematic review.Gynecol Endocrinol. 2015 Jan;31(1):7-13. doi: 10.3109/09513590.2014.958992. Epub 2014 Sep 12. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2015. PMID: 25212280 Review.
-
Outdoor air pollution and human infertility: a systematic review.Fertil Steril. 2016 Sep 15;106(4):897-904.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.07.1110. Epub 2016 Aug 8. Fertil Steril. 2016. PMID: 27513553 Review.
Cited by
-
Time-Varying Exposure to Air Pollution and Outcomes of in Vitro Fertilization among Couples from a Fertility Clinic.Environ Health Perspect. 2019 Jul;127(7):77002. doi: 10.1289/EHP4601. Epub 2019 Jul 3. Environ Health Perspect. 2019. PMID: 31268361 Free PMC article.
-
Female Reproductive Performance and Maternal Birth Month: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Exploring Multiple Seasonal Mechanisms.Sci Rep. 2020 Jan 17;10(1):555. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-57377-9. Sci Rep. 2020. PMID: 31953469 Free PMC article.
-
Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Ovarian Reserve Among Women from a Fertility Clinic.Epidemiology. 2019 Jul;30(4):486-491. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001029. Epidemiology. 2019. PMID: 31162281 Free PMC article.
-
The effect of short term exposure to outdoor air pollution on fertility.Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2021 Oct 6;19(1):151. doi: 10.1186/s12958-021-00838-6. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2021. PMID: 34615529 Free PMC article.
-
Does air pollution play a role in infertility?: a systematic review.Environ Health. 2017 Jul 28;16(1):82. doi: 10.1186/s12940-017-0291-8. Environ Health. 2017. PMID: 28754128 Free PMC article. Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical
