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Angley M, Lu L, Zhang Y, Howards PP, Kahe K. Mercury, natural fertility and outcomes of assisted reproduction: A systematic review. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 128:108613. [PMID: 38830454 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
The primary route of mercury exposure for the general population is through consumption of contaminated seafood. There is a biological basis for an adverse effect of mercury exposure on human fertility. The goal of this review was to evaluate the existing literature on the association between mercury and pregnancy, among men and women attempting to conceive with and without assisted reproductive technology (ART). Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science for papers published up to March 2023 with no early date restriction, only including studies with a biomarker measurement of mercury exposure. We identified 11 studies examining mercury and natural fertility and 12 studies examining mercury and outcomes of assisted reproduction (implantation or clinical pregnancy). The accumulated evidence provides some support for a null association between bodily mercury concentrations and natural fertility among women, however, a large proportion of studies did not report adjusted estimates or were extremely imprecise. The majority of studies of natural fertility were also cross-sectional in nature. There was no evidence for an inverse or null association between mercury and natural fertility among men, or mercury and ART outcomes among men or women. In spite of biological plausibility, the existing evidence includes studies that are imprecise and often conflicting and does not allow us to make definitive conclusions on the associations of mercury exposure with successful pregnancy. Additional, larger studies are warranted, especially among individuals with high concentrations of mercury exposure as these individuals may be underrepresented in the current literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Angley
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Liping Lu
- Department of Nutrition and Health Science, College of Health, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, United States
| | - Yijia Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Penelope P Howards
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ka Kahe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
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Rodríguez-Díaz R, Blanes-Zamora R, Vaca-Sánchez R, Gómez-Rodríguez J, Hardisson A, González-Weller D, Gutiérrez ÁJ, Paz S, Rubio C, González-Dávila E. Influence of Seminal Metals on Assisted Reproduction Outcome. Biol Trace Elem Res 2023; 201:1120-1134. [PMID: 35543968 PMCID: PMC9898355 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03256-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Increased levels of metal ions in human seminal fluid have a significant correlation with male fertility. Few publications explain the effect of metals in semen and their influence on assisted reproductive treatments. Semen parameters and the levels of twenty-two metals were measured in the seminal fluid of 102 men attended in a Reproductive Unit. Metals were determined by optical emission spectrophotometry. A statistical relationship was found between spermiogram and iron, which was lower than expected in pathological spermiograms (p = 0.032); zinc (p = 0.066), calcium (p = 0.047), and magnesium (p = 0.048) mean levels were higher in normozoospermics. More days of sexual abstinence correlates with higher seminal zinc (p = 0.001) and magnesium levels (p = 0.002). Lower vanadium values were found to be associated with higher fertilization rates (p = 0.039). Higher values of lead (p = 0.052) and vanadium (p = 0.032) were obtained in patients who did not reach 100% embryo cleavage rate. Aluminium (p = 0.042) and sodium (p = 0.002) were found in lower amounts associated with better blastocyst rates. The implantation rate shows an inverse association with women's age and iron and calcium content, compared to magnesium and sodium which presented a significant direct association with this percentage. A significant direct relationship was found between the positive evolution of pregnancy and the values of zinc (p = 0.004), calcium (p = 0.013), potassium (p = 0.002), and magnesium (p = 0.009). The study confirms that zinc, iron, calcium, sodium, aluminium, magnesium, vanadium, and lead have positive-negative effects on reproduction and support the analysis of metals in semen as a new line of study on male fertility with implications for reproductive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubí Rodríguez-Díaz
- Human Reproduction Unit, Canary Islands University Hospital, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Spain.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of La Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
| | - Raquel Blanes-Zamora
- Human Reproduction Unit, Canary Islands University Hospital, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Spain
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of La Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Rebeca Vaca-Sánchez
- Human Reproduction Unit, Canary Islands University Hospital, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Spain
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of La Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Jorge Gómez-Rodríguez
- Human Reproduction Unit, Canary Islands University Hospital, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Spain
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of La Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Arturo Hardisson
- Toxicology, University of La Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | | | - Ángel J Gutiérrez
- Toxicology, University of La Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Soraya Paz
- Toxicology, University of La Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Carmen Rubio
- Toxicology, University of La Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - E González-Dávila
- Mathematics, Statistics and Operations Research, University of La Laguna, San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
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