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Park Y, Lee I, Lee MJ, Park H, Jung GS, Kim N, Im W, Kim H, Lee JH, Cho S, Choi YS. Particulate matter exposure induces adverse effects on endometrium and fertility via aberrant inflammatory and apoptotic pathways in vitro and in vivo. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 361:142466. [PMID: 38810796 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the adverse effects of particulate matter (PM) exposure on endometrial cells and fertility and to identify possible underlying mechanisms. Thirteen women (aged 15-52 years) were included in this study. Enrolled patients underwent laparoscopic surgery at Gangnam Severance Hospital between 1 January and 31 December 2021. For in vivo experiments, 36 female and nine male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control(vehicle), low-dose(10 mg/kg/d), and high-dose exposure groups(20 mg/kg/d). PM was inhaled nasally for four weeks and natural mating was performed. NIST® SRM® 1648a was used for PM exposure. qRT-PCR, western blotting and Masson's trichrome staining were performed. PM treatment in human endometrial stromal cells induced inflammation with significant upregulation of IL-1β, p-NF-kB, and p-c-Jun compared to those of controls. Additionally, PM treatment significantly increased apoptosis in human endometrial stromal cells by downregulating p-AKT and upregulating p-p53/p53, Cas-3, BAX/Bcl-2, p-AMPK, and p-ERK. After PM treatment, the relative expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, p-NF-κB, p-c-Jun, and p-Nrf2/Nrf2 significantly increased in murine endometrium compared to those of the controls. Expression of apoptotic proteins p53, p27, and Cas-3, was also significantly elevated in murine endometrium of the PM exposure group compared to that of the controls. A significant increase in expression of procollagen Ⅰ, and Masson's trichrome staining scores in the murine endometrium was noted after PM treatment. PM treatment significantly decreased ERα expression. After natural mating, all 3 female mice in the control group gave birth to 25 offspring (mean 8.1), whereas in the low-dose PM treatment group, two of three female mice gave birth to nine offspring (mean 4.5). No pregnant mice or offspring was present in the high-dose PM treatment group. PM exposure induces adverse effects on the endometrium through aberrant activation of inflammatory and apoptotic pathways and is associated with detrimental effects on murine fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjeong Park
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, 08308, Republic of Korea
| | - Inha Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06229, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Jung Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06229, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyemin Park
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06229, Republic of Korea
| | - Gee Soo Jung
- Department of Medical Device Engineering and Management, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06229, Republic of Korea
| | - Nara Kim
- Department of Medical Device Engineering and Management, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06229, Republic of Korea
| | - Wooseok Im
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06229, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Heeyon Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hoon Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06229, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - SiHyun Cho
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06229, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Young Sik Choi
- Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
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Tong M, Lu H, Xu H, Fan X, Zhang JJ, Kelly FJ, Gong J, Han Y, Li P, Wang R, Li J, Zhu T, Xue T. Reduced human fecundity attributable to ambient fine particles in low- and middle-income countries. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 189:108784. [PMID: 38852259 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been associated with reduced human fecundity. However, the attributable burden has not been estimated for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the exposure-response function between PM2.5 and the infertility rate has been insufficiently studied. OBJECTIVE This study examined the associations between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and human fecundity indicators, namely the expected time to pregnancy (TTP) and 12-month infertility rate (IR), and then estimated PM2.5-attributable burden of infertility in LMICs. METHODS We analyzed 164,593 eligible women from 100 Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 49 LMICs between 1999 and 2021. We assessed PM2.5 exposures during the 12 months before a pregnancy attempt using the global satellite-derived PM2.5 estimates produced by Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group (ACAG). First, we created a series of pseudo-populations with balanced covariates, given different levels of PM2.5 exposure, using a matching approach based on the generalized propensity score. For each pseudo-population, we used 2-stage generalized Gamma models to derive TTP or IR from the probability distribution of the questionnaire-based duration time for the pregnancy attempt before the interview. Second, we used spline regressions to generate nonlinear PM2.5 exposure-response functions for each of the two fecundity indicators. Finally, we applied the exposure-response functions to estimate number of infertile couples attributable to PM2.5 exposure in 118 LMICs. RESULTS Based on the Gamma models, each 10 µg/m3 increment in PM2.5 exposure was associated with a TTP increase by 1.7 % (95 % confidence interval [CI]: -2.3 %-6.0 %) and an IR increase by 2.3 % (95 %CI: 0.6 %-3.9 %). The nonlinear exposure-response function suggested a robust effect of an increased IR for high-concentration PM2.5 exposure (>75 µg/m3). Based on the PM2.5-IR function, across the 118 LMICs, the number of infertile couples attributable to PM2.5 exposure exceeding 35 µg/m3 (the first-stage interim target recommended by the World Health Organization global air quality guidelines) was 0.66 million (95 %CI: 0.061-1.43), accounting for 2.25 % (95 %CI: 0.20 %-4.84 %) of all couples affected by infertility. Among the 0.66 million, 66.5 % were within the top 10 % high-exposure infertile couples, mainly from South Asia, East Asia, and West Africa. CONCLUSION PM2.5 contributes significantly to human infertility in places with high levels of air pollution. PM2.5-pollution control is imperative to protect human fecundity in LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingkun Tong
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases (PKU), School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Lu
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases (PKU), School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Huiyu Xu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xinguang Fan
- Department of Sociology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Jim Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, & Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Frank J Kelly
- Environmental Research Group, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jicheng Gong
- SKL-ESPC & SEPKL-AERM, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqun Han
- Environmental Research Group, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Pengfei Li
- Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Advanced Institute of Information Technology, Peking University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ruohan Wang
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases (PKU), School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jiajianghui Li
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases (PKU), School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Tong Zhu
- SKL-ESPC & SEPKL-AERM, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Xue
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases (PKU), School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China; Advanced Institute of Information Technology, Peking University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Center for Environment and Health, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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Chen W, Deng Y, Li Y, Huang X, Ma C, Huang W, Wang R, Zheng Z, Wang M, Zhang H. Environmental BaP/BPDE suppressed trophoblast cell invasion/migration and induced miscarriage by down-regulating lnc-HZ01/MEST/VIM axis. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 278:116409. [PMID: 38701656 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Environmental benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and itsmetabolite benzo(a)pyrene-7, 8-dihydrodiol-9, 10-epoxide (BPDE), classic endocrine disrupting chemical and persistent organic pollutant, could cause miscarriage. However, the detailed mechanisms are still largely unclear and should be further explored. In this study, we discovered that exposure of trophoblast cells with BPDE could suppressed cell invasion/migration by inhibiting MEST/VIM (Vimentin) pathway. Moreover, BPDE exposure also increased lnc-HZ01 expression level, which further inhibited MEST/VIM pathway and then suppressed invasion/migration. Knockdown of lnc-HZ01 or overexpression of MEST could efficiently rescue invasion/migration of BPDE-exposed Swan 71 cells. Furthermore, lnc-HZ01 was highly expressed and MEST/VIM were lowly expressed in recurrent miscarriage (RM) villous tissues compared with healthy control (HC) group. Finally, we also found that BaP exposure inhibited murine Mest/Vim pathway in placental tissues and induced miscarriage in BaP-exposed mice. Therefore, the regulatory mechanisms were similar in BPDE-exposed human trophoblast cells, RM villous tissues, and placental tissues of BaP-exposed mice with miscarriage, building a bridge to connect BaP/BPDE exposure, invasion/migration, and miscarriage. This study provided novel insights in the toxicological effects and molecular mechanisms of BaP/BPDE-induced miscarriage, which is helpful for better elucidating the toxicological risks of BaP/BPDE on female reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weina Chen
- Research Center for Environment and Female Reproductive Health, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Yuanlv Deng
- Research Center for Environment and Female Reproductive Health, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Xinying Huang
- Research Center for Environment and Female Reproductive Health, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Chenglong Ma
- Research Center for Environment and Female Reproductive Health, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Wenxin Huang
- Research Center for Environment and Female Reproductive Health, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Research Center for Environment and Female Reproductive Health, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Zhaodian Zheng
- Research Center for Environment and Female Reproductive Health, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Manli Wang
- Research Center for Environment and Female Reproductive Health, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Huidong Zhang
- Research Center for Environment and Female Reproductive Health, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China.
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Zhang R, Zhao J, Zhang Y, Hong X, Zhang H, Zheng H, Wu J, Wang Y, Peng Z, Zhang Y, Jiang L, Zhao Y, Wang Q, Shen H, Zhang Y, Yan D, Wang B, Ma X. Association between fine particulate matter and fecundability in Henan, China: A prospective cohort study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 188:108754. [PMID: 38781703 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and fecundability. METHODS This study included 751,270 female residents from Henan Province who participated in the National Free Pre-conception Check-up Projects during 2015-2017. Ambient cycle-specific PM2.5 exposure was assessed at the county level for each participant using satellite-based PM2.5 concentration data at 1-km resolution. Cox proportional hazards models with time-varying exposure were used to estimate the association between fecundability and PM2.5 exposure, adjusted for potential individual risk factors. RESULTS During the study period, 568,713 participants were pregnant, monthly mean PM2.5 concentrations varied from 25.5 to 114.0 µg/m3 across study areas. For each 10 µg/m3 increase in cycle-specific PM2.5, the hazard ratio for fecundability was 0.951 (95 % confidence interval: 0.950-0.953). The association was more pronounced in women who were older, with urban household registration, history of pregnancy, higher body mass index (BMI), hypertension, without exposure to tobacco, or whose male partners were older, with higher BMI, or hypertension. CONCLUSION In this population-based prospective cohort, ambient cycle-specific PM2.5 exposure was associated with reduced fecundability. These findings may support the adverse implications of severe air pollution on reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Hong
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongguang Zhang
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Hanyue Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jingwei Wu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Zuoqi Peng
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Lifang Jiang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Henan Academy of Innovations in Medical Science, NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention, Henan, China
| | - Yueshu Zhao
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, China
| | - Qiaomei Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Haiping Shen
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Yiping Zhang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Donghai Yan
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Bei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xu Ma
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China.
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Kornfield M, Rubin E, Parker P, Garg B, O'Leary T, Phillips S, Madding R, Baldwin M, Amato P, Lee D, Wu D, Krieg S. Unhealthy air quality secondary to wildfires is associated with lower blastocyst yield. Fertil Steril 2024; 121:842-852. [PMID: 38244020 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the impact of unhealthy air quality from the 2020 Oregon wildfires on outcomes for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study. SETTING A university-based fertility clinic. PATIENTS Subjects were undergoing IVF treatment from the 6 weeks preceding the wildfires through a 10-day exposure period. Cohorts were classified on the basis of whether subjects experienced patient and/or laboratory exposure to unhealthy air quality. Patient exposure was defined as at least 4 days of ovarian stimulation overlapping with the exposure, and laboratory exposure was defined as at least 2 days of IVF treatment and embryogenesis overlapping with the exposure. The unexposed cohort consisted of remaining subjects without defined exposure, with cycles in the 6 weeks preceding the wildfires. As some subjects had dual exposure and appeared in both patient and laboratory exposure cohorts, each cohort was separately compared with the unexposed control cohort. INTERVENTION A 10-day period of unhealthy air quality caused by smoke plumes from a wildfire event. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was the blastulation rate. Secondary outcomes included fertilization rate, number of blastocysts obtained, and cycles with no blastocysts frozen or transferred. RESULTS Sixty-nine subjects underwent ovarian stimulation and IVF treatment during the 6 weeks preceding the wildfires through the 10-day period of unhealthy air quality. Of these, 15 patients were in the laboratory exposure cohort, 16 were in the patient exposure cohort, and 44 were unexposed. Six subjects appeared in both laboratory and patient exposure cohorts. Although neither exposure cohort had significantly decreased blastulation rate compared with the unexposed, the median number of blastocysts obtained was significantly lower in the laboratory exposure cohort than the unexposed group (2 [range 0-14] vs. 4.5 [range 0-21], respectively). The laboratory exposure cohort had significantly more cycles with no blastocysts obtained (3/15 [20%] vs. 1/44 [2%]). There were no significant differences in IVF treatment outcomes between patient exposure and unexposed cohorts. These findings persisted after controlling for age. There were no significant differences in pregnancy outcomes observed after embryo transfer between the exposure group and the unexposed group. CONCLUSION For a cohort of patients undergoing IVF treatment, an acute episode of outside wildfire smoke exposure during fertilization and embryogenesis was associated with decreased blastocyst yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Kornfield
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.
| | - Elizabeth Rubin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Pamela Parker
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Bharti Garg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Thomas O'Leary
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Sara Phillips
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Rachel Madding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Maureen Baldwin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Paula Amato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - David Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Diana Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Sacha Krieg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
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Wesselink AK, Hystad P, Kirwa K, Kaufman JD, Willis MD, Wang TR, Szpiro AA, Levy JI, Savitz DA, Rothman KJ, Hatch EE, Wise LA. Air pollution and fecundability in a North American preconception cohort study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 181:108249. [PMID: 37862861 PMCID: PMC10841991 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal and epidemiologic studies indicate that air pollution may adversely affect fertility. However, the level of evidence is limited and specific pollutants driving the association are inconsistent across studies. METHODS We used data from a web-based preconception cohort study of pregnancy planners enrolled during 2013-2019 (Pregnancy Study Online; PRESTO). Eligible participants self-identified as female, were aged 21-45 years, resided in the United States (U.S.) or Canada, and were trying to conceive without fertility treatments. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire and bi-monthly follow-up questionnaires until conception or 12 months. We analyzed data from 8,747 participants (U.S.: 7,304; Canada: 1,443) who had been trying to conceive for < 12 cycles at enrollment. We estimated residential ambient concentrations of particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) using validated spatiotemporal models specific to each country. We fit country-specific proportional probabilities regression models to estimate the association between annual average, menstrual cycle-specific, and preconception average pollutant concentrations with fecundability, the per-cycle probability of conception. We calculated fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and adjusted for individual- and neighborhood-level confounders. RESULTS In the U.S., the FRs for a 5-µg/m3 increase in annual average, cycle-specific, and preconception average PM2.5 concentrations were 0.94 (95% CI: 0.83, 1.08), 1.00 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.07), and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.09), respectively. In Canada, the corresponding FRs were 0.92 (95% CI: 0.74, 1.16), 0.97 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.09), and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.80, 1.09), respectively. Likewise, NO2 and O3 concentrations were not strongly associated with fecundability in either country. CONCLUSIONS Neither annual average, menstrual cycle-specific, nor preconception average exposure to ambient PM2.5, NO2, and O3 were appreciably associated with reduced fecundability in this cohort of pregnancy planners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia K Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Perry Hystad
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Kipruto Kirwa
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Mary D Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States; School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Tanran R Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Adam A Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jonathan I Levy
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David A Savitz
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, MA, United States
| | - Kenneth J Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elizabeth E Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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7
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Hassaan MA, Abdallah SM, Shalaby ESA, Ibrahim AA. Assessing vulnerability of densely populated areas to air pollution using Sentinel-5P imageries: a case study of the Nile Delta, Egypt. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17406. [PMID: 37833293 PMCID: PMC10575920 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44186-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Air pollution represents one of the major environmental stressors with serious implications on human health and ecosystem health. Recently remote sensing imageries; as an alternative cost and time-effective method compared with regular monitoring techniques, were used for provision of appropriate data concerning air quality over large areas. In this context, Sentinel-5P satellite provides high-resolution images of atmospheric pollutants including nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM). The current work aims to delineate vulnerability of densely populated areas in Northern-Egypt to air pollution through retrieving CO and PM2.5 from Sentinel-5P images and validate the retrieved data through simultaneous In-Situ measurements. For this purpose, our approach comprised four-step methodology; data acquisition on study area, data manipulation, validation of retrieved air quality data and mapping the vulnerability to air pollution. Based on the data retrieved from the imagery, a composite vulnerability index for each CO and PM2.5 value was developed delineating the most vulnerable areas to air pollution in the Northern Nile Delta region. Such results revealed that Sentinel-5P imagery can serve as a valuable tool for monitoring air quality and assessing vulnerability of densely populated areas to air pollution. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the applied Sentinel-5P based model can be applied effectively for other air pollutants and can be extrapolated to other areas with similar and/or different environmental settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud A Hassaan
- Department of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research (IGSR), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Salwa M Abdallah
- Center of Excellence for Toxicological Testing, Central Agricultural Pesticides Lab (CAPL), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
| | - El-Sayed A Shalaby
- Department of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research (IGSR), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Amir A Ibrahim
- Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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8
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Bongaerts E, Mamia K, Rooda I, Björvang RD, Papaikonomou K, Gidlöf SB, Olofsson JI, Ameloot M, Alfaro-Moreno E, Nawrot TS, Damdimopoulou P. Ambient black carbon particles in human ovarian tissue and follicular fluid. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 179:108141. [PMID: 37603992 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Evidence indicates a link between exposure to ambient air pollution and decreased female fertility. The ability of air pollution particles to reach human ovarian tissue and follicles containing the oocytes in various maturation stages has not been studied before. Particulate translocation might be an essential step in explaining reproductive toxicity and assessing associated risks. Here, we analysed the presence of ambient black carbon particles in (i) follicular fluid samples collected during ovum pick-up from 20 women who underwent assisted reproductive technology treatment and (ii) adult human ovarian tissue from 5 individuals. Follicular fluid and ovarian tissue samples were screened for the presence of black carbon particles from ambient air pollution using white light generation by carbonaceous particles under femtosecond pulsed laser illumination. We detected black carbon particles in all follicular fluid (n = 20) and ovarian tissue (n = 5) samples. Black carbon particles from ambient air pollution can reach the ovaries and follicular fluid, directly exposing the ovarian reserve and maturing oocytes. Considering the known link between air pollution and decreased fertility, the impact of such exposure on oocyte quality, ovarian ageing and fertility needs to be clarified urgently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Bongaerts
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Katariina Mamia
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Ilmatar Rooda
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Richelle D Björvang
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kiriaki Papaikonomou
- Department of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian B Gidlöf
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan I Olofsson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcel Ameloot
- Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, 3590 Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Ernesto Alfaro-Moreno
- Nanosafety Group, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Hasselt, Belgium; Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.
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9
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Thampy D, Vieira VM. Association between traffic-related air pollution exposure and fertility-assisted births. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, HEALTH : ERH 2023; 1:021005. [PMID: 37124069 PMCID: PMC10133988 DOI: 10.1088/2752-5309/accd10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that traffic-related air pollution is associated with adverse fertility outcomes, such as reduced fecundability and subfertility. The purpose of this research is to investigate if PM2.5 exposure prior to conception or traffic-related exposures (traffic density and distance to nearest major roadway) at birth address is associated with fertility-assisted births. We obtained all live and still births from the Massachusetts state birth registry with an estimated conception date between January 2002 through December 2008. All births requiring fertility drugs or assisted reproductive technology were identified as cases. We randomly selected 2000 infants conceived each year to serve as a common control group. PM2.5 exposure was assessed using 4 km spatial satellite remote sensing, meteorological and land use spatiotemporal models at geocoded birth addresses for the year prior to conception. The mean PM2.5 level was 9.81 µg m-3 (standard deviation = 1.70 µg m-3), with a maximum of 14.27 µg m-3. We calculated crude and adjusted fertility treatment odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) per interquartile range of 1.72 µg m-3 increase in PM2.5 exposure. Our final analyses included 10 748 fertility-assisted births and 12 225 controls. After adjusting for parental age, marital status, race, maternal education, insurance status, parity, and year of birth, average PM2.5 exposure during the year prior to conception was weakly associated with fertility treatment (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.05). Fertility-assisted births were inversely associated with traffic density (highest quartile compared to lowest quartile, OR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.83, 1.02) and positively associated with distance from major roadway (OR per 100 m: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.02) in adjusted analyses. We did not find strong evidence to support an adverse relationship between traffic-related air pollution exposure and fertility-assisted births.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne Thampy
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Verónica M Vieira
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
- Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed
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10
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Santacruz-Márquez R, Neff AM, Mourikes VE, Fletcher EJ, Flaws JA. The effects of inhaled pollutants on reproduction in marginalized communities: a contemporary review. Inhal Toxicol 2023:1-18. [PMID: 37075037 PMCID: PMC10584991 DOI: 10.1080/08958378.2023.2197941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Important differences in health that are closely linked with social disadvantage exist within and between countries. According to the World Health Organization, life expectancy and good health continue to increase in many parts of the world, but fail to improve in other parts of the world, indicating that differences in life expectancy and health arise due to the circumstances in which people grow, live, work, and age, and the systems put in place to deal with illness. Marginalized communities experience higher rates of certain diseases and more deaths compared to the general population, indicating a profound disparity in health status. Although several factors place marginalized communities at high risk for poor health outcomes, one important factor is exposure to air pollutants. Marginalized communities and minorities are exposed to higher levels of air pollutants than the majority population. Interestingly, a link exists between air pollutant exposure and adverse reproductive outcomes, suggesting that marginalized communities may have increased reproductive disorders due to increased exposure to air pollutants compared to the general population. This review summarizes different studies showing that marginalized communities have higher exposure to air pollutants, the types of air pollutants present in our environment, and the associations between air pollution and adverse reproductive outcomes, focusing on marginalized communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alison M. Neff
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
| | | | - Endia J. Fletcher
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
| | - Jodi A. Flaws
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
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11
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Gutvirtz G, Sheiner E. Airway pollution and smoking in reproductive health. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2022; 85:81-93. [PMID: 36333255 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2022.09.005] [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: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Environmental exposure refers to contact with chemical, biological, or physical substances found in air, water, food, or soil that may have a harmful effect on a person's health. Almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants. Smoking is one of the most common forms of recreational drug use and is the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The small particles from either ambient (outdoor) pollution or cigarette smoke are inhaled to the lungs and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. These substances can affect virtually every organ in our body and have been associated with various respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, and also reproductive morbidities, including decreased fertility, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and offspring long-term morbidity. This review summarizes the latest literature reporting the reproductive consequences of women exposed to ambient (outdoor) air pollution and cigarette smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Gutvirtz
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel; Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC), Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology B, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
| | - Eyal Sheiner
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel; Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC), Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology B, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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12
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Segal TR, Giudice LC. Systematic review of climate change effects on reproductive health. Fertil Steril 2022; 118:215-223. [PMID: 35878942 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is a major risk factor for overall health, including reproductive health, and well-being. Increasing temperatures, due mostly to increased greenhouse gases trapping excess heat in the atmosphere, result in erratic weather patterns, wildfires, displacement of large communities, and stagnant water resulting in vector-borne diseases that, together, have set the stage for new and devastating health threats across the globe. These conditions disproportionately affect disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, including women, pregnant persons, young children, the elderly, and the disabled. This review reports on the evidence for the adverse impacts of air pollution, wildfires, heat stress, floods, toxic chemicals, and vector-borne diseases on male and female fertility, the developing fetus, and obstetric outcomes. Reproductive health care providers are uniquely positioned and have an unprecedented opportunity to educate patients and policy makers about mitigating the impact of climate change to assure reproductive health in this and future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thalia R Segal
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Linda C Giudice
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
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13
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Siegel EL, Ghassabian A, Hipwell AE, Factor-Litvak P, Zhu Y, Steinthal HG, Focella C, Battaglia L, Porucznik CA, Collingwood SC, Klein-Fedyshin M, Kahn LG. Indoor and outdoor air pollution and couple fecundability: a systematic review. Hum Reprod Update 2022; 29:45-70. [PMID: 35894871 PMCID: PMC9825271 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmac029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Air pollution is both a sensory blight and a threat to human health. Inhaled environmental pollutants can be naturally occurring or human-made, and include traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), ozone, particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds, among other substances, including those from secondhand smoking. Studies of air pollution on reproductive and endocrine systems have reported associations of TRAP, secondhand smoke (SHS), organic solvents and biomass fueled-cooking with adverse birth outcomes. While some evidence suggests that air pollution contributes to infertility, the extant literature is mixed, and varying effects of pollutants have been reported. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE Although some reviews have studied the association between common outdoor air pollutants and time to pregnancy (TTP), there are no comprehensive reviews that also include exposure to indoor inhaled pollutants, such as airborne occupational toxicants and SHS. The current systematic review summarizes the strength of evidence for associations of outdoor air pollution, SHS and indoor inhaled air pollution with couple fecundability and identifies gaps and limitations in the literature to inform policy decisions and future research. SEARCH METHODS We performed an electronic search of six databases for original research articles in English published since 1990 on TTP or fecundability and a number of chemicals in the context of air pollution, inhalation and aerosolization. Standardized forms for screening, data extraction and study quality were developed using DistillerSR software and completed in duplicate. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess risk of bias and devised additional quality metrics based on specific methodological features of both air pollution and fecundability studies. OUTCOMES The search returned 5200 articles, 4994 of which were excluded at the level of title and abstract screening. After full-text screening, 35 papers remained for data extraction and synthesis. An additional 3 papers were identified independently that fit criteria, and 5 papers involving multiple routes of exposure were removed, yielding 33 articles from 28 studies for analysis. There were 8 papers that examined outdoor air quality, while 6 papers examined SHS exposure and 19 papers examined indoor air quality. The results indicated an association between outdoor air pollution and reduced fecundability, including TRAP and specifically nitrogen oxides and PM with a diameter of ≤2.5 µm, as well as exposure to SHS and formaldehyde. However, exposure windows differed greatly between studies as did the method of exposure assessment. There was little evidence that exposure to volatile solvents is associated with reduced fecundability. WIDER IMPLICATIONS The evidence suggests that exposure to outdoor air pollutants, SHS and some occupational inhaled pollutants may reduce fecundability. Future studies of SHS should use indoor air monitors and biomarkers to improve exposure assessment. Air monitors that capture real-time exposure can provide valuable insight about the role of indoor air pollution and are helpful in assessing the short-term acute effects of pollutants on TTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva L Siegel
- Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Alison E Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yeyi Zhu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | | | - Carolina Focella
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lindsey Battaglia
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Linda G Kahn
- Correspondence address. E-mail: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6512-6160
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14
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Ambient Air Pollution Exposure Assessments in Fertility Studies: a Systematic Review and Guide for Reproductive Epidemiologists. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2022; 9:87-107. [DOI: 10.1007/s40471-022-00290-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
We reviewed the exposure assessments of ambient air pollution used in studies of fertility, fecundability, and pregnancy loss.
Recent Findings
Comprehensive literature searches were performed in the PUBMED, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Of 168 total studies, 45 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. We find that 69% of fertility and pregnancy loss studies have used one-dimensional proximity models or surface monitor data, while only 35% have used the improved models, such as land-use regression models (4%), dispersion/chemical transport models (11%), or fusion models (20%). No published studies have used personal air monitors.
Summary
While air pollution exposure models have vastly improved over the past decade from a simple, one-dimensional distance or air monitor data to models that incorporate physiochemical properties leading to better predictive accuracy, precision, and increased spatiotemporal variability and resolution, the fertility literature has yet to fully incorporate these new methods. We provide descriptions of each of these air pollution exposure models and assess the strengths and limitations of each model, while summarizing the findings of the literature on ambient air pollution and fertility that apply each method.
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15
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Wan S, Zhao X, Niu Z, Dong L, Wu Y, Gu S, Feng Y, Hua X. Influence of ambient air pollution on successful pregnancy with frozen embryo transfer: A machine learning prediction model. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 236:113444. [PMID: 35367879 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Numerous air pollutants have been reported to influence the outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, whether air pollution affects implantation in frozen embryo transfer (FET) process is under debate. We aimed to find the association between ambient air pollution and implantation potential of FET and test the value of adding air pollution data to a random forest model (RFM) predicting intrauterine pregnancy. Using a retrospective study of a 4-year single-center design,we analyzed 3698 cycles of women living in Shanghai who underwent FET between 2015 and 2018. To estimate patients' individual exposure to air pollution, we computed averages of daily concentrations of six air pollutants including PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, NO2, and O3 measured at 9 monitoring stations in Shanghai for the exposure period (one month before FET). Moreover, A predictive model of 15 variables was established using RFM. Air pollutants levels of patients with or without intrauterine pregnancy were compared. Our results indicated that for exposure periods before FET, NO2 were negatively associated with intrauterine pregnancy (OR: 0.906, CI: 0.816-0.989). AUROC increased from 0.712 to 0.771 as air pollutants features were added. Overall, our findings demonstrate that exposure to NO2 before transfer has an adverse effect on clinical pregnancy. The performance to predict intrauterine pregnancy will improve with the use of air pollution data in RFM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Wan
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaobo Zhao
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihong Niu
- Reproductive Medical Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated with the Medical School of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingling Dong
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuelin Wu
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengyi Gu
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Feng
- Reproductive Medical Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated with the Medical School of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiaolin Hua
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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16
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Wesselink AK, Wang TR, Ketzel M, Mikkelsen EM, Brandt J, Khan J, Hertel O, Laursen ASD, Johannesen BR, Willis MD, Levy JI, Rothman KJ, Sørensen HT, Wise LA, Hatch EE. Air pollution and fecundability: Results from a Danish preconception cohort study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2022; 36:57-67. [PMID: 34890081 PMCID: PMC8712376 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal and epidemiologic studies indicate that air pollution may adversely affect fertility. Epidemiologic studies have been restricted largely to couples undergoing fertility treatment or have retrospectively ascertained time-to-pregnancy among pregnant women. OBJECTIVES We examined the association between residential ambient air pollution and fecundability, the per-cycle probability of conception, in a large preconception cohort of Danish pregnancy planners. METHODS During 2007-2018, we used the Internet to recruit and follow women who were trying to conceive without the use of fertility treatment. Participants completed an online baseline questionnaire eliciting socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and medical and reproductive histories and follow-up questionnaires every 8 weeks to ascertain pregnancy status. We determined concentrations of ambient nitrogen oxides (NOx ), nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3 ), particulate matter <2.5 µm (PM2.5 ) and <10 µm (PM10 ), and sulphur dioxide (SO2 ) at each participant's residential address. We calculated average exposure during the year before baseline, during each menstrual cycle over follow-up and during the entire pregnancy attempt time. We used proportional probabilities regression models to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for potential confounders and co-pollutants. The analysis was restricted to the 10,183 participants who were trying to conceive for <12 cycles at study entry whose addresses could be geocoded. RESULTS During 12 months of follow-up, 73% of participants conceived. Higher concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were associated with small reductions in fecundability. For example, the FRs for a one interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 (IQR = 3.2 µg/m3 ) and PM10 (IQR = 5.3 µg/m3 ) during each menstrual cycle were 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.99) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.99), respectively. Other air pollutants were not appreciably associated with fecundability. CONCLUSIONS In this preconception cohort study of Danish women, residential exposures to PM2.5 and PM10 were associated with reduced fecundability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia K. Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tanran R. Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthias Ketzel
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Ellen M. Mikkelsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Brandt
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- iClimate, interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jibran Khan
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Danish Big Data Centre for Environment and Health (BERTHA), Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ole Hertel
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Anne Sofie D. Laursen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Benjamin R. Johannesen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mary D. Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Jonathan I. Levy
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth J. Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Research Triangle Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Henrik T. Sørensen
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lauren A. Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth E. Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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17
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Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril 2021; 117:53-63. [PMID: 34815068 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
This committee opinion provides practitioners with suggestions for optimizing the likelihood of achieving pregnancy in couples or individuals attempting conception who have no evidence of infertility. This document replaces the document of the same name previously published in 2013 (Fertil Steril 2013;100:631-7).
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Affiliation(s)
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- The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
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18
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Liu J, Zhao M, Zhang H, Zhao J, Kong H, Zhou M, Guan Y, Li TC, Wang X, Chan DYL. Associations between ambient air pollution and IVF outcomes in a heavily polluted city in China. Reprod Biomed Online 2021; 44:49-62. [PMID: 34836814 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2021.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION Is air pollution related to IVF outcomes in a heavily polluted city in China? DESIGN A retrospective cohort study of 8628 fresh, autologous IVF cycles was conducted for the first time at the Reproductive Medicine Center of The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between May 2014 and December 2018 (oocyte retrieval date). The exposure was divided into four periods (gonadotrophin injection to oocyte retrieval [P1], oocyte retrieval to embryo transfer [P2], 1 day after embryo transfer to embryo transfer +14 days [P3] and gonadotrophin injection to embryo transfer +14 days [P4]) and four levels (Q1-Q4 according to their 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles). RESULTS An interquartile range increase (Q2 versus Q1) in particulate matter ≤10 µm (PM10) during P3 and P4 and sulphur dioxide (SO2) during P3 significantly decreased the clinical pregnancy rate (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71-0.92 for PM10 of P3; aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76-1.00 for PM10 of P4; aOR 0.82, 95% CI 0.73-0.93 for SO2 of P3). In addition, PM10 was associated with an increased biochemical pregnancy rate (Q3 versus Q1: aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.09-2.19 for PM10 of P1) and decreased live birth rate (Q2 versus Q1: aOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.77-0.99 for PM10 of P3). The multivariate regression results were consistent with that of multiple treatments propensity score method (PSM) for SO2 pollutants in P3 and PM10 pollutants in P4. CONCLUSION From the early follicular stage to the pregnancy test period, high concentrations of PM10 and SO2 may have a negative impact on IVF treatment outcomes in the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Mingpeng Zhao
- Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Haoyang Zhang
- School of Data and Computer Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junliang Zhao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hongjiao Kong
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Mengge Zhou
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yichun Guan
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Tin Chiu Li
- Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xingling Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - David Yiu Leung Chan
- Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Feng X, Luo J, Wang X, Xie W, Jiao J, Wu X, Fan L, Qin G. Association of exposure to ambient air pollution with ovarian reserve among women in Shanxi province of north China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 278:116868. [PMID: 33735795 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution has been an important risk factor for female reproductive health. However, epidemiological evidence of ambient air pollution on the predictor for ovarian reserve (antral follicle count, AFC) is deficient. We aim to comprehensively evaluate the association of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution with AFC among women of reproductive age in Shanxi of north China. 600 women with spontaneous menstrual cycle, not using controlled ovarian stimulation, were enrolled in the retrospective study. Two distinct periods of antral follicle development were designed as exposure windows. Generalized linear model was employed to estimate the change of AFC associated with exposure of atmospheric pollutants (SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, CO and O3). Stratification analysis based on age (<30, ≥30 years), university degree (yes, no), years of exposure (2013-2016, 2017-2019) and duration of infertility (<2, 2-5, >5 years) along with two pollutants model were employed to further illustrate the association. We found every 10 μg/m3 increase in SO2 concentration level during the entire development stage of antral follicle was associated with a -0.01 change in AFC (95% confidence interval: -0.016, -0.002) adjusting for the confounders including age, BMI, parity and infertility diagnosis factors. The significant association of increased SO2 level with decreased AFC was particularly observed during the early transition from primary follicle to preantral follicle stage by 10 μg/m3 increase in SO2 exposure level with a -0.01 change (95% CI: -0.015, -0.002) in AFC. The negative association was pronounced among women aged ≥30 years old, and also significant in two pollutants model after adjusting the confounders. No significant associations between other air pollutants and AFC were observed. Our finding suggests that long-term exposure to air pollutant SO2 is associated with lower AFC, raising our concern that atmospheric SO2 exposure may have potential adverse impact on women ovarian reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqin Feng
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, China; Department of Reproductive Medicine, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030012, China
| | - Jinhong Luo
- Shanxi Academy for Environmental Planning, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030002, China
| | - Xiaocheng Wang
- Department of Medical Record and Statistics, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030012, China
| | - Wolong Xie
- Shanxi Academy for Environmental Planning, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030002, China
| | - Jiao Jiao
- Shanxi Academy for Environmental Planning, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030002, China
| | - Xiaohui Wu
- Shanxi Dadi Environment Investment Holdings Company, Ltd, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030000, China
| | - Lingling Fan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030012, China
| | - Guohua Qin
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, China.
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20
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Dai W, Shi H, Bu Z, Yu Y, Sun Z, Hu L, Sun YP. Ambient air pollutant exposure and in vitro fertilization treatment outcomes in Zhengzhou, China. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 214:112060. [PMID: 33676052 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the association between ambient air pollutant exposure during the follicular phase and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. DESIGN A single-center retrospective analysis. SETTING Henan Province, China. PATIENTS Patients (n = 6659) living in Zhengzhou, Henan Province in central China who underwent their first IVF cycle at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between 2013 and 2019 were included for analysis. INTERVENTION None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The relationships between PM2.5, PM10, and AQI (Air Quality Index) with IVF outcomes during the follicular phase (period I, 85 days before oocyte retrieval; period II, gonadotrophin start to oocyte retrieval). RESULTS Compared with the bottom tertile, exposure to the top PM2.5 and PM10 tertiles during period I was associated with decreased clinical pregnancy (PM2.5: adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.838%, and 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.723 and 0.971; PM10: adjusted OR, 0.818%, and 95% CI, 0.705 and 0.950), and decreased live birth rate (PM2.5: adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.852%, and 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.736 and 0.987; PM10: adjusted OR, 0.850%, and 95% CI, 0.733 and 0.986), and exposure to the top PM2.5 tertile during period II adversely affected clinical pregnancy and the live birth rate (adjusted OR, 0.824%, and 95% CI, 0.711 and 0.955; adjusted OR, 0.817%, and 95% CI, 0.706 and 0.945). Compared with the bottom PM10 tertile, exposure to the middle PM10 tertile in period II showed decreased clinical pregnancies and live births (adjusted OR, 0.844; 95% CI, 0.729 and 0.978, adjusted OR, 0.846; 95% CI, 0.731 and 0.979). The PM10 level during period II of the follicular phase tend to adversely affect live birth rate, but the tendency did not reach significance (P = 0.051). CONCLUSION Exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 before oocyte retrieval has an adverse effect on IVF outcomes. CAPSULE Exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 before oocyte retrieval has an adverse effect on IVF outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Dai
- Reproductive Medical Center, Henan Province Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan, China.
| | - Hao Shi
- Reproductive Medical Center, Henan Province Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan, China.
| | - Zhiqin Bu
- Reproductive Medical Center, Henan Province Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan, China.
| | - Yiping Yu
- Reproductive Medical Center, Henan Province Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan, China.
| | - Zhimin Sun
- Reproductive Medical Center, Henan Province Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan, China.
| | - Linli Hu
- Reproductive Medical Center, Henan Province Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan, China.
| | - Ying-Pu Sun
- Reproductive Medical Center, Henan Province Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan, China.
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21
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Boyles AL, Beverly BE, Fenton SE, Jackson CL, Jukic AMZ, Sutherland VL, Baird DD, Collman GW, Dixon D, Ferguson KK, Hall JE, Martin EM, Schug TT, White AJ, Chandler KJ. Environmental Factors Involved in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2021; 30:245-252. [PMID: 33211615 PMCID: PMC7891208 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2020.8855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nongenetic, environmental factors contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality through chemical exposures via air, water, soil, food, and consumer products. Pregnancy represents a particularly sensitive window of susceptibility during which physiological changes to every major organ system increase sensitivity to chemicals that can impact a woman's long-term health. Nonchemical stressors, such as low socioeconomic status, may exacerbate the effects of chemical exposures on maternal health. Racial/ethnic minorities are exposed disproportionately to both chemicals and nonchemical stressors, which likely contribute to the observed health disparities for maternal morbidities and mortality. Epidemiological studies linking exposures to adverse maternal health outcomes underscore the importance of environmental health impacts, and mechanistic studies in model systems reveal how chemicals perturb biological pathways and processes. Environmental stressors are associated with a variety of immediate maternal health impacts, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, fibroids, and infertility, as well as long-term maternal health impacts, such as higher risk of breast cancer and metabolic disorders. Identifying and reducing a pregnant woman's environmental exposures is not only beneficial to her offspring but also important to preserve her short- and long-term health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abee L. Boyles
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brandiese E. Beverly
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Suzanne E. Fenton
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Chandra L. Jackson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Intramural Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anne Marie Z. Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Vicki L. Sutherland
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Donna D. Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gwen W. Collman
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Darlene Dixon
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kelly K. Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Janet E. Hall
- Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Martin
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Postdoctoral Research Associate Training Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Thaddeus T. Schug
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexandra J. White
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kelly J. Chandler
- Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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22
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DeVilbiss EA, Stanford JB, Mumford SL, Sjaarda LA, Kim K, Zolton JR, Perkins NJ, Schisterman EF. Sporadic anovulation is not an important determinant of becoming pregnant and time to pregnancy among eumenorrheic women: A simulation study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2021; 35:143-152. [PMID: 32970334 PMCID: PMC7854799 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attaining pregnancy is conditional upon a series of complex processes, including adequately timed intercourse, ovulation, fertilisation, and implantation. Anovulation is a first-line treatment target for couples with difficulty conceiving and is frequently examined in studies of fecundability. OBJECTIVES To identify whether sporadic anovulation is an important determinant of cumulative pregnancy rates and time to pregnancy among fertile women with regular menstrual cycles. METHODS We simulated cumulative pregnancy rates and time to pregnancy for 12 consecutive menstrual cycles among 100 000 women based on data-driven probabilities of implantation, fertilisation, ovulation, and intercourse occurring in the fertile window. We assumed anovulation probabilities of 1%, 8%, or 14.5% and intercourse averaging once per week, every other day, or daily. The model incorporated reductions in implantation and fertilisation rates for successive cycles of non-pregnancy. RESULTS After 12 cycles, a reduction in the per cycle incidence of anovulation from 14.5% to 1% resulted in a 4.0% higher cumulative pregnancy rate (86.7% vs 90.7%) and similar time to pregnancy (1-cycle median difference). In contrast, increasing mean unscheduled sexual intercourse frequency from weekly to every other day was associated with a 5-cycle median reduction in time to pregnancy (weekly: 7 cycles; every other day or daily: 2 cycles) and a 28.9% increase in the cumulative pregnancy rate (weekly: 59.9%, every other day: 88.8%; daily: 91.6%). CONCLUSIONS In presumed fertile women with regular menstrual cycles, routine investigation of anovulation may not be an informative outcome in studies of fecundability, and routine testing to ensure ovulation and treatment of anovulation are unlikely to be medically necessary. While biomarkers or cervical fluid may help time intercourse to the fertile window, time to pregnancy can also be improved through increasing the frequency of unscheduled intercourse. These findings need corroboration in large preconception time to pregnancy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A DeVilbiss
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Joseph B Stanford
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Sunni L Mumford
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Lindsey A Sjaarda
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Keewan Kim
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jessica R Zolton
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Neil J Perkins
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Enrique F Schisterman
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
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23
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Guo Y, Cao Z, Jiao X, Bai D, Zhang Y, Hua J, Liu W, Teng X. Pre-pregnancy exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) increases reactive oxygen species production in oocytes and decrease litter size and weight in mice. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 268:115858. [PMID: 33160740 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure of females to fine particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) prior to pregnancy could produce adverse impact on fertility and enhances susceptibility of the offspring to a variety of diseases. In the current study, female C57BL/6 mice (6 weeks of age) were exposed to either concentrated PM2.5 or filtered air (average PM2.5 concentration: 115.60 ± 7.77 vs. 14.07 ± 0.38 μg/m-3) using a whole-body exposure device for 12 weeks. Briefly, PM2.5 exposure decreased anti-Müllerian hormone level (613.40 ± 17.36 vs 759.30 ± 21.90 pg mL-1, P<0.01) and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) level (45.39 ± 0.82 vs 24.20 ± 0.85 arbitrary unit in fluorescence assay, P<0.01) in oocytes. The exposure increased oocyte degeneration rate (21.5% vs 5.1%, respectively (P<0.01) and decreased the 2-cell formation rate (71.9% vs 86.0%, P < 0.01). Transcriptome profiling using RNA sequencing showed wide spectrum of abnormal expression of genes, particularly those involved in regulating the mitochondrial respiratory complex in oocytes and metabolic processes in blastocysts. The exposure decreased litter size (6 ± 0.37 vs 7 ± 0.26, P<0.05) and weight (1.18 ± 0.02 vs 1.27 ± 0.02 g, P<0.01). In summary, PM2.5 exposure decreased female fertility, possibly through increased ROS production in oocytes and metabolic disturbances in developing embryos. The cause-effect relationship, however, requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Guo
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China; Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhijuan Cao
- Department of Clinical Research Center (CRC), Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Xianting Jiao
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Dandan Bai
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yalin Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jing Hua
- Women's and Children's Healthcare Department of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Wenqiang Liu
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Xiaoming Teng
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China.
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24
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Li Q, Zheng D, Wang Y, Li R, Wu H, Xu S, Kang Y, Cao Y, Chen X, Zhu Y, Xu S, Chen ZJ, Liu P, Qiao J. Association between exposure to airborne particulate matter less than 2.5 μm and human fecundity in China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106231. [PMID: 33171380 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whether exposure to airborne particulate matter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) could impact human fecundity is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the potential impact of PM2.5 exposure on time to pregnancy (TTP) and the prevalence of infertility in the general Chinese population. METHOD We collected reproductive information, sociodemographic characteristics, and lifestyle data of 10,211 couples at risk of pregnancy from a large-scale community-based fertility survey in China. Then, we estimated each participant's 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year average PM2.5 exposure levels based on remote sensing information. After adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, and environmental co-variables, discrete-time Cox regression models were used to estimate the fecundability odds ratio (FOR) per 10 μg/m3 change of PM2.5. We also estimated the odds ratio (OR) of infertility per 10 μg/m3 change of PM2.5, using logistic regression models. FINDINGS Among the 10,211 couples, 6,875 (67%) had conceived spontaneously, with a median TTP of 5 months (interquartile range: 2-10 months). The median PM2.5 exposure was 56.8 μg/m3, with a wide range of 9.2-93.5 μg/m3. In Cox regression models, each increase of 10 μg/m3 in the 1-year average PM2.5 exposure was associated with a significant decrease in fecundity by 11% (FOR: 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.86-0.92). In logistic regression models, it was also associated with an 20% increased likelihood of infertility (OR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.13-1.27). CONCLUSION PM2.5 exposure was associated with reduced human fecundity, presented by a longer TTP and higher odds of infertility, which might explain the increased infertility rates in areas with heavy PM2.5 pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Li
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Danni Zheng
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Rong Li
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hongping Wu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Suxin Xu
- Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050000, China
| | - Yuefan Kang
- Reproductive Medical Center, Maternal and Children's Health Hospital of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - Yunxia Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Xiujuan Chen
- Reproductive Medical Center, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Huhhot 010059, China
| | - Yimin Zhu
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Shuguang Xu
- Population and Family Planning Research Institute of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin 150020, China
| | - Zi-Jiang Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250001, China
| | - Ping Liu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China.
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Female Fertility and Environmental Pollution. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17238802. [PMID: 33256215 PMCID: PMC7730072 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17238802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A realistic picture of our world shows that it is heavily polluted everywhere. Coastal regions and oceans are polluted by farm fertilizer, manure runoff, sewage and industrial discharges, and large isles of waste plastic are floating around, impacting sea life. Terrestrial ecosystems are contaminated by heavy metals and organic chemicals that can be taken up by and accumulate in crop plants, and water tables are heavily contaminated by untreated industrial discharges. As deadly particulates can drift far, poor air quality has become a significant global problem and one that is not exclusive to major industrialized cities. The consequences are a dramatic impairment of our ecosystem and biodiversity and increases in degenerative or man-made diseases. In this respect, it has been demonstrated that environmental pollution impairs fertility in all mammalian species. The worst consequences are observed for females since the number of germ cells present in the ovary is fixed during fetal life, and the cells are not renewable. This means that any pollutant affecting hormonal homeostasis and/or the reproductive apparatus inevitably harms reproductive performance. This decline will have important social and economic consequences that can no longer be overlooked.
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CeO 2 Nanomaterials from Diesel Engine Exhaust Induce DNA Damage and Oxidative Stress in Human and Rat Sperm In Vitro. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10122327. [PMID: 33255415 PMCID: PMC7760532 DOI: 10.3390/nano10122327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Cerium dioxide nanomaterials (CeO2 NMs) are widely used in nano-based diesel additives to decrease the emission of toxic compounds, but they have been shown to increase the emission of ultrafine particles as well as the amount of released Ce. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development included CeO2 NMs in the priority list of nanomaterials that require urgent evaluation, and the potential hazard of aged CeO2 NM exposure remains unexplored. Herein, human and rat sperm cells were exposed in vitro to a CeO2 NM-based diesel additive (called EnviroxTM), burned at 850 °C to mimic its release after combustion in a diesel engine. We demonstrated significant DNA damage after in vitro exposure to the lowest tested concentration (1 µg·L−1) using the alkaline comet assay (ACA). We also showed a significant increase in oxidative stress in human sperm after in vitro exposure to 1 µg·L−1 aged CeO2 NMs evaluated by the H2DCF-DA probe. Electron microscopy showed no internalization of aged CeO2 NMs in human sperm but an affinity for the head plasma membrane. The results obtained in this study provide some insight on the complex cellular mechanisms by which aged CeO2 NMs could exert in vitro biological effects on human spermatozoa and generate ROS.
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27
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Residential proximity to major roads and fecundability in a preconception cohort. Environ Epidemiol 2020; 4:e112. [PMID: 33778352 PMCID: PMC7941774 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Emerging evidence from animal and human studies indicates that exposure to traffic-related air pollution may adversely affect fertility.
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Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Pollution Monitoring with Sentinel-5P Satellite Imagery over Europe during the Coronavirus Pandemic Outbreak. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12213575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of the main air quality pollutants of concern in many urban and industrial areas worldwide, and particularly in the European region, where in 2017 almost 20 countries exceeded the NO2 annual limit values imposed by the European Commission Directive 2008/50/EC (EEA, 2019). NO2 pollution monitoring and regulation is a necessary task to help decision makers to search for a sustainable solution for environmental quality and population health status improvement. In this study, we propose a comparative analysis of the tropospheric NO2 column spatial configuration over Europe between similar periods in 2019 and 2020, based on the ESA Copernicus Sentinel-5P products. The results highlight the NO2 pollution dynamics over the abrupt transition from a normal condition situation to the COVID-19 outbreak context, characterized by a short-time decrease of traffic intensities and industrial activities, revealing remarkable tropospheric NO2 column number density decreases even of 85% in some of the European big cities. The validation approach of the satellite-derived data, based on a cross-correlation analysis with independent data from ground-based observations, provided encouraging values of the correlation coefficients (R2), ranging between 0.5 and 0.75 in different locations. The remarkable decrease of NO2 pollution over Europe during the COVID-19 lockdown is highlighted by S-5P products and confirmed by the Industrial Production Index and air traffic volumes.
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Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Ovarian Reserve Among Women from a Fertility Clinic. Epidemiology 2020; 30:486-491. [PMID: 31162281 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing number of studies have linked air pollution to decreased fertility. Whether this is due to an effect on ovarian reserve is unknown. METHOD Our study included 632 women attending the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center (2004-2015) who had a measured antral follicle count. Validated spatiotemporal models estimated daily particulate matter <2.5 µg/m (PM2.5) (based on residential address) for the 3 months before the antral follicle count. We analyzed associations with Poisson regression. RESULTS Every 2 µg/m increase in estimated PM2.5 exposure was associated with a -7.2% (95% confidence interval = -10.4%, -3.8%) lower antral follicle count adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking status, and year and season of the count. The association of PM2.5 with antral follicle count was stronger among women with female factor infertility (-16.3% per 2 µg/m). CONCLUSIONS Among women from an infertility clinic, higher PM2.5 exposure was associated with lower ovarian reserve, raising concern that air pollution may accelerate reproductive aging.
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Zeng X, Jin S, Chen X, Qiu Y. Association between Ambient Air Pollution and Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization in Chengdu, China: A retrospective study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 184:109304. [PMID: 32192988 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ambient air pollution has been a major concern in China due to its effect on population health. Exposure to ambient air pollution has negative impact on animal reproduction and fertility, however, its effect on human reproduction has been inconclusive. We conducted a retrospective study on in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients from Chengdu, Sichuan Province in western China, a city with persistent ambient air pollution. We analyzed the medical records of 1139 patients who underwent first conventional IVF cycles during 2014-2019. The relationship between six atmospheric pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, CO) and IVF pregnancy outcomes were assessed by 1) stratification of maternal age into three groups (<35, 35-39, ≥40 years), and by 2) averaging pollutant concentration during different exposure windows. The results indicate that the association between ambient air pollution and IVF pregnancy outcomes (biochemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy) is more significant for women in <35 years age group. Concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2 and CO are negatively associated with the odds of biochemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy, and concentration of CO in particular is associated with the largest reduction in odds. Conversely, O3 concentration is positively associated with biochemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy. Moreover, pollutant concentration during long-term exposure window is associated with larger magnitude of change in the odds of biochemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy. Findings from this study suggest that exposure to ambient air pollution during any period within the IVF treatment timeline would influence IVF pregnancy outcomes, and such influence is more pronounced in younger women (<35 years).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Zeng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Song Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaolan Chen
- Department of Economics, School of Economics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Yang Qiu
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, School of Architecture and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Giorgis-Allemand L, Thalabard JC, Rosetta L, Siroux V, Bouyer J, Slama R. Can atmospheric pollutants influence menstrual cycle function? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 257:113605. [PMID: 31806466 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A few experimental studies suggest that atmospheric pollutants could affect the endocrine system, and in particular stress hormones and the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-ovarian axis, which could in turn influence menstrual cycle function. We aimed to study the possible short-term effects of atmospheric pollutants on the length of the follicular and luteal phases and on the duration of the menstrual cycle in humans. To do so, from a nation-wide study on couples' fecundity, we recruited 184 women not using contraception who collected urine samples at least every other day during one menstrual cycle, from which a progesterone metabolite was assayed, allowing estimation of the duration of the follicular and luteal phases of the cycle. Atmospheric pollution (nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter with an aerodynamical diameter below 10 μm, PM10) levels were estimated from a dispersion model with a 1-km resolution combined with permanent monitoring stations measurements, allowing to estimate exposures in the 30-day, 1-10 and 11-30-day periods before the start of the menstrual cycle. Regression models allowed to quantify the change in cycle duration associated with atmospheric pollutants and adjusted for potential confounders. Follicular phase duration increased on average by 0.7 day (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.2; 1.3) for each increase by 10 μg/m3 in NO2 concentration averaged over the 30 days before the cycle and by 1.6 day (95% CI, 0.3; 2.9) for each increase by 10 μg/m3 in PM10. There was no strong evidence of associations of exposures in this time window with luteal phase or with total menstrual cycle durations (p > 0.2). Exposures in the 1-10 day period before the cycle start were also associated with increased follicular phase duration. This study is one of the first prospective studies to suggest short-term alterations in follicular phase duration following atmospheric pollutants exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Giorgis-Allemand
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Inserm, CNRS, University Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Advanced Biosciences, Joint Research Center (U1209), Grenoble (La Tronche), France; Université Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ifsttar, UMRESTTE, UMR T_9405, Bron, France
| | - J C Thalabard
- Endocrinological Gynaecology - Unit, PR1- Hôpital Cochin, APHP, 75014, Paris, France; MAP5 UMR CNRS 8145, Université de Paris, Paris, 75006, France
| | - L Rosetta
- UPR 2147, CNRS, Paris, 75014, France
| | - V Siroux
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Inserm, CNRS, University Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Advanced Biosciences, Joint Research Center (U1209), Grenoble (La Tronche), France
| | - J Bouyer
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ. Paris-Sud, UVSQ, CESP, INSERM, Villejuif, 94807, France
| | - R Slama
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Inserm, CNRS, University Grenoble Alpes, Institute of Advanced Biosciences, Joint Research Center (U1209), Grenoble (La Tronche), France.
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Liao BQ, Liu CB, Xie SJ, Liu Y, Deng YB, He SW, Fu XP, Fu BB, Wang YL, Chen MH, Lin YH, Li FP, Xie X, Hong XR, Wang HL. Effects of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) on ovarian function and embryo quality in mice. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 135:105338. [PMID: 31841806 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Revised: 10/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has an adverse effect on reproductive function, in particular causing reduced male reproductive function, but relatively few studies have directly targeted its effects on female reproduction. To investigate the effects of PM2.5 exposure on female reproduction, we exposed female mice to PM2.5 by intratracheal instillation for 28 days, and evaluated apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells and oocytes and the quality embryos after insemination. Our results showed increased numbers of apoptotic granulosa cells and oocytes after exposure to elevated concentrations of PM2.5, which had adverse effects on female fertility via compromising embryo development and quality. We conclude that PM2.5 induced apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells and oocytes leading to disrupted embryo development and female fertility in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Qiong Liao
- Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Ganzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team, Fuzhou Clinic Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Dongfang Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China; Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Chao-Bin Liu
- The Fourth Department of Gynecology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Shu-Juan Xie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team, Fuzhou Clinic Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Dongfang Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China; Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; Medical College, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
| | - Ya-Bin Deng
- Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Shu-Wen He
- Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xian-Pei Fu
- Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Bin-Bin Fu
- Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Ya-Long Wang
- Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Ming-Huang Chen
- Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Yan-Hong Lin
- Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Fei-Ping Li
- Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xi Xie
- The Fourth Department of Gynecology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Xin-Ru Hong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team, Fuzhou Clinic Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Dongfang Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China.
| | - Hai-Long Wang
- Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; Organ Transplantation Institute, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; Department of Basic Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China.
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Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Air pollution has been associated with hypertension and preterm birth. We examined if prenatal exposure to air pollutants was associated with gestational hypertension and if its association with preterm birth was modified by maternal hypertension. Methods: Data were from birth certificates and hospital discharge records of 252,205 women in San Joaquin Valley of California from 2000 to 2006. Air quality data were assigned from 24-hour averages of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter <10µm (PM10) and <2.5µm (PM2.5), and carbon monoxide (CO) for different averaging periods over pregnancy. We estimated odds of preterm birth and multiplicative interaction between each pollutant and hypertensive disorder. Results: Among normotensive women, odds of preterm birth were slightly higher for higher exposure to all pollutants over the entire pregnancy. Patterns were similar among women with a hypertensive disorder. Among 32–36 week births, there was effect modification for exposure to NO2 and CO during the first trimester with higher odds among hypertensive women, and PM2.5 and CO during the last 6 weeks with higher odds among normotensive women. For 28–31 week births, there was effect modification by hypertensive status for PM10 exposure for the entire pregnancy, first, and second trimester with hypertensive women consistently having lower odds of preterm birth than normotensive. Conclusion: There was some evidence of effect modification in the direction counter to our hypothesis for exposure to PM10 and early preterm birth, and CO and PM2.5 at the end of pregnancy, but overall, hypertension did not modify the relationship between pollution and preterm birth.
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Gaskins AJ, Mínguez-Alarcón L, Fong KC, Abu Awad Y, Di Q, Chavarro JE, Ford JB, Coull BA, Schwartz J, Kloog I, Attaman J, Hauser R, Laden F. Supplemental Folate and the Relationship Between Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Livebirth Among Women Undergoing Assisted Reproduction. Am J Epidemiol 2019; 188:1595-1604. [PMID: 31241127 PMCID: PMC6736414 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwz151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Traffic-related air pollution has been linked to higher risks of infertility and miscarriage. We evaluated whether folate intake modified the relationship between air pollution and livebirth among women using assisted reproductive technology (ART). Our study included 304 women (513 cycles) presenting to a fertility center in Boston, Massachusetts (2005-2015). Diet and supplements were assessed by food frequency questionnaire. Spatiotemporal models estimated residence-based daily nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone, fine particulate, and black carbon concentrations in the 3 months before ART. We used generalized linear mixed models with interaction terms to evaluate whether the associations between air pollutants and livebirth were modified by folate intake, adjusting for age, body mass index, race, smoking, education, infertility diagnosis, and ART cycle year. Supplemental folate intake significantly modified the association of NO2 exposure and livebirth (P = 0.01). Among women with supplemental folate intakes of <800 μg/day, the odds of livebirth were 24% (95% confidence interval: 2, 42) lower for every 20-parts-per-billion increase in NO2 exposure. There was no association among women with intakes of ≥800 μg/day. There was no effect modification of folate on the associations between other air pollutants and livebirth. High supplemental folate intake might protect against the adverse reproductive consequences of traffic-related air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey J Gaskins
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kelvin C Fong
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yara Abu Awad
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Qian Di
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jorge E Chavarro
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer B Ford
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Itai Kloog
- Department of Environmental Geography, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheva, Israel
| | - Jill Attaman
- Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Russ Hauser
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Francine Laden
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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Qiu J, Dong M, Zhou F, Li P, Kong L, Tan J. Associations between ambient air pollution and pregnancy rate in women who underwent in vitro fertilization in Shenyang, China. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 89:130-135. [PMID: 31306769 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
To assess the associations between air pollution and the pregnancy rate of IVF, we performed a retrospective cohort study on 1455 women who underwent the first fresh IVF cycle at a fertility center from January 2014 to April 2018 and lived in Shenyang during treatment. Binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate the effect of an interquartile range increase in each pollutant on the intrauterine pregnancy rate. Both average chronic and daily acute exposure to air pollution were considered. Increased O3 (adjusted OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81, 0.98) during the period from gonadotropins starting to oocyte retrieval was associated with decreased probability of intrauterine pregnancy, especially the day before oocyte retrieval (adjusted OR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.78, 0.95). Our results suggest that exposure to O3 before oocyte retrieval has an adverse effect on intrauterine pregnancy. Future studies should be performed in order to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Qiu
- Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 39, Huaxiang Road, Tiexi District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Diseases and Fertility Remodeling of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China
| | - Meng Dong
- Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 39, Huaxiang Road, Tiexi District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Diseases and Fertility Remodeling of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China
| | - Feifei Zhou
- Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 39, Huaxiang Road, Tiexi District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Diseases and Fertility Remodeling of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China
| | - Pingping Li
- Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 39, Huaxiang Road, Tiexi District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Diseases and Fertility Remodeling of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China
| | - Lin Kong
- Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 39, Huaxiang Road, Tiexi District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Diseases and Fertility Remodeling of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China
| | - Jichun Tan
- Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 39, Huaxiang Road, Tiexi District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Diseases and Fertility Remodeling of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China.
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Gaskins AJ, Fong KC, Abu Awad Y, Di Q, Mínguez-Alarcón L, Chavarro JE, Ford JB, Coull BA, Schwartz J, Kloog I, Souter I, Hauser R, Laden F. Time-Varying Exposure to Air Pollution and Outcomes of in Vitro Fertilization among Couples from a Fertility Clinic. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2019; 127:77002. [PMID: 31268361 PMCID: PMC6792363 DOI: 10.1289/ehp4601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A few studies suggest that air pollution may decrease fertility, but prospective studies and examinations of windows of susceptibility remain unclear. OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine the association between time-varying exposure to nitrogen dioxide ([Formula: see text]), ozone ([Formula: see text]), fine particulate matter [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]), and black carbon (BC) on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. METHODS We included 345 women (522 IVF cycles) for the [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] analyses and 339 women (512 IVF cycles) for the BC analysis enrolled in a prospective cohort at a Boston fertility center (2004–2015). We used validated spatiotemporal models to estimate daily residential exposure to [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and BC. Multivariable discrete time Cox proportional hazards models with four periods [ovarian stimulation (OS), oocyte retrieval to embryo transfer (ET), ET to implantation, implantation to live birth] estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of failing at IVF. Time-dependent interactions were used to identify vulnerable periods. RESULTS An interquartile range (IQR) increase in [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and BC throughout the IVF cycle was associated with an elevated odds of failing at IVF prior to live birth ([Formula: see text], 95% CI: 0.95, 1.23 for [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text], 95% CI: 0.88, 1.28 for [Formula: see text]; and [Formula: see text], 95% CI: 0.96, 1.41 for BC). This relationship significantly varied across the IVF cycle such that the association with higher exposure to air pollution during OS was strongest for early IVF failures. An IQR increase in [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and BC exposure during OS was associated with 1.42 (95% CI: 1.20, 1.69), 1.26 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.67), and 1.23 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.59) times the odds of failing prior to oocyte retrieval, and 1.32 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.54), 1.27 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.65), and 1.32 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.59) times the odds of failing prior to ET. CONCLUSION Increased exposure to traffic-related pollutants was associated with higher odds of early IVF failure. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4601.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey J Gaskins
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kelvin C Fong
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yara Abu Awad
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qian Di
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jorge E Chavarro
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer B Ford
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Itai Kloog
- Department of Environmental Geography, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Irene Souter
- Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Russ Hauser
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Environmental Geography, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Francine Laden
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Quraishi SM, Lin PC, Richter KS, Hinckley MD, Yee B, Neal-Perry G, Sheppard L, Kaufman JD, Hajat A. Ambient Air Pollution Exposure and Fecundability in Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization. Environ Epidemiol 2019; 3:e036. [PMID: 31214664 PMCID: PMC6581510 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited research suggests ambient air pollution impairs fecundity but groups most susceptible have not been identified. We studied whether long-term ambient air pollution exposure prior to an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle was associated with successful livebirth, and whether associations were modified by underlying infertility diagnosis. METHODS Data on women initiating their 1st autologous IVF cycle in 2012-13 were obtained from four U.S. clinics. Outcomes included pregnancy, pregnancy loss, and livebirth. Annual average exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), PM10, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) prior to IVF start were estimated at residential address using a validated national spatial model incorporating land-use regression and universal kriging. We also assessed residential distance to major roadway. We calculated risk ratios (RR) using modified Poisson regression and evaluated effect modification (EM) by infertility diagnosis on additive and multiplicative scales. RESULTS Among 7,463 eligible participants, 36% had a livebirth. There was a non-significant indication of an association between PM2.5 or NO2 and decreased livebirth and increased pregnancy loss. Near roadway residence was associated with decreased livebirth (RR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.82, 0.99. There was evidence for EM between high exposure to air pollutants and a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) or male infertility and decreased livebirth. CONCLUSIONS Despite suggestive but uncertain findings for the overall effect of air pollution on fecundity, we found a suggestive indication that there may be synergistic effects of air pollution and DOR or male infertility diagnosis on livebirth. This suggests two possible targets for future research and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabah M. Quraishi
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Paul C. Lin
- Seattle Reproductive Medicine, Seattle, Washington
| | | | | | - Bill Yee
- Reproductive Partners Medical Group, Redondo Beach, California
| | - Genevieve Neal-Perry
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Departments of Biostatistics and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Departments of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Epidemiology, and Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Anjum Hajat
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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Mahalingaiah S, Missmer SE, Cheng JJ, Chavarro J, Laden F, Hart JE. Perimenarchal air pollution exposure and menstrual disorders. Hum Reprod 2019; 33:512-519. [PMID: 29377993 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dey005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the association between perimenarchal exposure to total suspended particulate (TSP) in air, menstrual irregularity phenotypes and time to menstrual cycle regularity? SUMMARY ANSWER Exposures to TSP during high school are associated with slightly increased odds of menstrual irregularity and longer time to regularity in high school and early adulthood. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The menstrual cycle is responsive to hormonal regulation. Particulate matter air pollution has demonstrated hormonal activity. However, it is not known if air pollution is associated with menstrual cycle regularity. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Cross sectional study of 34 832 of the original 116 430 women (29.91%) enrolled in 1989 from the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII). The follow-up rate for this analytic sample was 97.76% at the 1991 survey. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Annual averages of TSP were available for each year of high school attendance. We created three case definitions including high school menstrual irregularity and androgen excess. The time to menstrual cycle regularity was reported by participants as <1 year, 1-2 years, 3-4 years, 5 years or longer, or never on the baseline questionnaire. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for 45 μg/m3 increases in TSP exposure, adjusted for risk factors for menstrual irregularity. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In multivariable adjusted models, we observed that for every 45 μg/m3 increase in average high school TSP there was an increased odds (95%CI) of 1.08 (1.03-1.14), 1.08 (1.02-1.15) and 1.10 (0.98-1.25) for moderate, persistent, and persistent with androgen excess irregularity phenotypes, respectively. TSP was also associated with a longer time to cycle regularity, with stronger results among women with older ages at menarche and those living in the Northeast or the West. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The outcomes of menstrual regularity and time to cycle regularity were retrospectively assessed outcomes and may be susceptible to recall bias. There is also the potential for selection bias, as women had to live until 2011 to provide addresses. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Temporal exposure to air pollution in the adolescent and early adulthood window may be especially important, given its association with phenotypes of menstrual irregularity. The data from this study agrees with existing literature regarding air pollution and reproductive tract diseases. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) Shruthi Mahalingaiah: Reproductive Scientist Development Program HD000849, and a research grant from the Boston University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stacey Missmer: R01HD57210 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Environmental Health Sciences Translational Pilot Project Program, R01CA50385 from the National Cancer Institute, Jaime Hart and Francine Laden: 5R01ES017017 from the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, Jaime Hart: P30 ES00002 from the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences at the National Institute of Health, The Nurses' Health Study II is supported by infrastructure grant UM1CA176726 from the National Cancer Institute, NIH, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mahalingaiah
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University Medical Campus, 85 E Concord St. 6F, Boston, MA 02118, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 700 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - S E Missmer
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, College of Human Medicine, Secchia Center, 15 Michigan St. NE, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - J J Cheng
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University Medical Campus, 85 E Concord St. 6F, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - J Chavarro
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - F Laden
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Medicine, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive, 3rd F West, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Environmental Health, Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive, 3rd F West, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - J E Hart
- Department of Medicine, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive, 3rd F West, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Environmental Health, Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive, 3rd F West, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Nobles CJ, Schisterman EF, Ha S, Buck Louis GM, Sherman S, Mendola P. Time-varying cycle average and daily variation in ambient air pollution and fecundability. Hum Reprod 2019; 33:166-176. [PMID: 29136143 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dex341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Does ambient air pollution affect fecundability? SUMMARY ANSWER While cycle-average air pollution exposure was not associated with fecundability, we observed some associations for acute exposure around ovulation and implantation with fecundability. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Ambient air pollution exposure has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and decrements in semen quality. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The LIFE study (2005-2009), a prospective time-to-pregnancy study, enrolled 501 couples who were followed for up to one year of attempting pregnancy. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Average air pollutant exposure was assessed for the menstrual cycle before and during the proliferative phase of each observed cycle (n = 500 couples; n = 2360 cycles) and daily acute exposure was assessed for sensitive windows of each observed cycle (n = 440 couples; n = 1897 cycles). Discrete-time survival analysis modeled the association between fecundability and an interquartile range increase in each pollutant, adjusting for co-pollutants, site, age, race/ethnicity, parity, body mass index, smoking, income and education. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Cycle-average air pollutant exposure was not associated with fecundability. In acute models, fecundability was diminished with exposure to ozone the day before ovulation and nitrogen oxides 8 days post ovulation (fecundability odds ratio [FOR] 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72, 0.96 and FOR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.71, 0.99, respectively). However, particulate matter ≤10 microns 6 days post ovulation was associated with greater fecundability (FOR 1.25, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.54). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Although our study was unlikely to be biased due to confounding, misclassification of air pollution exposure and the moderate study size may have limited our ability to detect an association between ambient air pollution and fecundability. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS While no associations were observed for cycle-average ambient air pollution exposure, consistent with past research in the United States, exposure during critical windows of hormonal variability was associated with prospectively measured couple fecundability, warranting further investigation. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment study contract nos. #N01-HD-3-3355, NO1-HD-#-3356, N01-HD-3-3358 and the Air Quality and Reproductive Health Study Contract No. HHSN275200800002I, Task Order No. HHSN27500008). We declare no conflict of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie J Nobles
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6710B Rockledge Drive Room 3119, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA; The Emmes Corporation, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Enrique F Schisterman
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6710B Rockledge Drive Room 3119, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA; The Emmes Corporation, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Sandie Ha
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6710B Rockledge Drive Room 3119, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA; The Emmes Corporation, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Germaine M Buck Louis
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6710B Rockledge Drive Room 3119, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA; The Emmes Corporation, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Seth Sherman
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6710B Rockledge Drive Room 3119, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA; The Emmes Corporation, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Pauline Mendola
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6710B Rockledge Drive Room 3119, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA; The Emmes Corporation, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
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Conway KS, Trudeau J. Sunshine, fertility and racial disparities. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2019; 32:18-39. [PMID: 30665057 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This research investigates the effect of sun exposure on fertility, with a special focus on how its effects and consequences for birth outcomes may differ by race. Sun exposure is a key mechanism for obtaining Vitamin D, but this process is inhibited by skin pigmentation. Vitamin D has been linked to male and female fertility and risk of miscarriage, and Vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent among blacks than whites. Using 1989-2004 individual live births data from the Natality Detail Files, county-level, monthly conceptions are estimated as a function of monthly solar insolation, temperature and humidity, as well as month, time and location fixed effects and controls. Insolation has positive, statistically significant effects on fertility for both non-Hispanic blacks and whites, but the effects are stronger and the pattern of effect different for black mothers than white mothers. Poisson estimates from the main model suggest that a 1kWh increase in average daily insolation in the conception month - approximately the difference in sunshine experienced in the typical September vs. October - increases non-Hispanic black conceptions by 1% and non-Hispanic white conceptions by 0.6%. Allowing insolation's effect to differ by maternal characteristic suggests that the racial differences are not being driven by differences in socioeconomic status (SES). Models that allow for more complicated timing of insolation's effect further suggest that insolation pushes black (white) conceptions into the unfavorable (favorable) season of birth. These estimated effects and our decomposition analyses suggest that insolation - and the implied Vitamin D deficiency underlying its effect-helps explain why black conceptions are more likely to display a seasonal pattern that is disadvantageous to birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Smith Conway
- Department of Economics, University of New Hampshire, 10 Garrison Avenue, Durham, NH 03824, United States.
| | - Jennifer Trudeau
- Department of Business Economics, Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825, United States.
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Conforti A, Mascia M, Cioffi G, De Angelis C, Coppola G, De Rosa P, Pivonello R, Alviggi C, De Placido G. Air pollution and female fertility: a systematic review of literature. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2018; 16:117. [PMID: 30594197 PMCID: PMC6311303 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-018-0433-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Air pollution is a cause of concern for human health. For instance, it is associated with an increased risk for cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. In vitro and in vivo studies suggested that air pollutants could act as endocrine disruptors, promote oxidative stress and exert genotoxic effect. Whether air pollution affects female infertility is under debate. The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review of studies that evaluated the impact of air pollution on female infertility. We systematically searched the MEDLINE (PubMed) and SCOPUS databases to identify all relevant studies published before October 2017. No time or language restrictions were adopted, and queries were limited to human studies. We also hand-searched the reference lists of relevant studies to ensure we did not miss pertinent studies. The risk of bias and quality assessment of the studies identified were performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Primary outcomes were conception rate after spontaneous intercourse and live birth rate after in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. Secondary outcomes were first trimester miscarriage, stillbirths, infertility, number of oocytes and embryo retrieved. Eleven articles were included in the analysis. We found that in the IVF population, nitrogen dioxide and ozone were associated with a reduced live birth rate while particulate matter of 10 mm was associated with increased miscarriage. Furthermore, in the general population, particulate matter of 2.5 mm and between 2.5 and 10 mm were associated with reduced fecundability, whereas sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide might promote miscarriage and stillbirths. The main limitation of our findigns resides in the fact that the desegn of studies included are observational and retrospective. Furthermore, there was a wide heterogenity among studies. Although larger trials are required before drawing definitive conclusions, it seems that air pollution could represent a matter of concern for female infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Conforti
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche, Sezione di Ginecologia ed Ostetricia, Centro di Sterilità Università "Federico II" di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
| | - Marika Mascia
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche, Sezione di Ginecologia ed Ostetricia, Centro di Sterilità Università "Federico II" di Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Cioffi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche, Sezione di Ginecologia ed Ostetricia, Centro di Sterilità Università "Federico II" di Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Cristina De Angelis
- I.O.S. & COLEMAN Srl, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Centro di Andrologia, Medicina della Riproduzione e della Sessualità Maschile e Femminile, Università "Federico II" di Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Pasquale De Rosa
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche, Sezione di Ginecologia ed Ostetricia, Centro di Sterilità Università "Federico II" di Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosario Pivonello
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Centro di Andrologia, Medicina della Riproduzione e della Sessualità Maschile e Femminile, Università "Federico II" di Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Alviggi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche, Sezione di Ginecologia ed Ostetricia, Centro di Sterilità Università "Federico II" di Napoli, Naples, Italy
- Centro nazionale delle ricerche, Istituto per l'Endocrinologia e l'Oncologia Sperimentale (IEOS), Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe De Placido
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche, Sezione di Ginecologia ed Ostetricia, Centro di Sterilità Università "Federico II" di Napoli, Naples, Italy
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Xue T, Zhu T. Association between fertility rate reduction and pre-gestational exposure to ambient fine particles in the United States, 2003-2011. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 121:955-962. [PMID: 30355539 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Ambient pollutants are associated with clinical and sub-clinical indicators of infertility, such as poor sperm quality. However, the link between the ambient fine particle (PM2.5) concentration and the fertility rate (FR) is unclear. In this epidemiological study, we examined the association between PM2.5 concentration and childlessness in the United States (US). We conducted a nationwide spatiotemporal study of ~29 million births in 520 US counties from 2003 to 2011. We obtained monthly numbers and demographic data of newborns from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and PM2.5 estimates from a downscaling model of in situ observations and outputs from the Community Multiscale Air Quality Model. We evaluated the association between the mean PM2.5 concentration and the FR during the gestational (0-8 months before birth) and pre-gestational (9-11 months before birth) periods using a Poisson model with demographic and socioeconomic covariates. We found a significant association between the FR and PM2.5 exposure during pre-gestation but not gestation. Each 5 μg/m3 increase in pre-gestational PM2.5 exposure was associated with a 0.7% (0.0%, 1.4%) reduction in the FR. Nonlinear analysis suggested a sublinear association between the reduction in the FR and PM2.5 concentration without a safety threshold. Additionally, an annual mean reduction of 1.16 (1.15, 1.17) births per 1000 females aged 15-44 years was attributable to PM2.5. This study established, for the first time, an association in the US between the FR and PM2.5 concentration, a finding that adds to the extant epidemiological evidence of the effects of ambient pollutants on fertility, and extends the scope of the impact of low air quality on health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Xue
- BIC-ESAT and SKL-ESPC, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Tong Zhu
- BIC-ESAT and SKL-ESPC, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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Hamanaka RB, Mutlu GM. Particulate Matter Air Pollution: Effects on the Cardiovascular System. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:680. [PMID: 30505291 PMCID: PMC6250783 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 245] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Air pollution is a complex mixture of gaseous and particulate components, each of which has detrimental effects on human health. While the composition of air pollution varies greatly depending on the source, studies from across the world have consistently shown that air pollution is an important modifiable risk factor for significantly increased morbidity and mortality. Moreover, clinical studies have generally shown a greater impact of particulate matter (PM) air pollution on health than the gaseous components. PM has wide-ranging deleterious effects on human health, particularly on the cardiovascular system. Both acute and chronic exposure to PM air pollution is associated with increased risk of death from cardiovascular diseases including ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and ischemic/thrombotic stroke. Particulate matter has also been shown to be an important endocrine disrupter, contributing to the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes mellitus, which themselves are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. While the epidemiological evidence for the deleterious effects of PM air pollution on health is increasingly accepted, newer studies are shedding light on the mechanisms by which PM exerts its toxic effects. A greater understanding of how PM exerts toxic effects on human health is required in order to prevent and minimize the deleterious health effects of this ubiquitous environmental hazard. Air pollution is a growing public health problem and mortality due to air pollution is expected to double by 2050. Here, we review the epidemiological evidence for the cardiovascular effects of PM exposure and discuss current understanding about the biological mechanisms, by which PM exerts toxic effects on cardiovascular system to induce cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gökhan M. Mutlu
- Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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Gaskins AJ, Hart JE, Mínguez-Alarcón L, Chavarro JE, Laden F, Coull BA, Ford JB, Souter I, Hauser R. Residential proximity to major roadways and traffic in relation to outcomes of in vitro fertilization. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 115:239-246. [PMID: 29605676 PMCID: PMC5970056 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging data from animal and human studies suggest that traffic-related air pollution adversely affects early pregnancy outcomes; however evidence is limited. OBJECTIVE We examined whether residential proximity to major roadways and traffic, as proxies for traffic-related air pollution, are associated with in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. METHODS This analysis included 423 women enrolled in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) Study, a prospective cohort study, who underwent 726 IVF cycles (2004-2017). Using geocoded residential addresses collected at study entry, we calculated the distance to nearest major roadway and the traffic density within a 100 m radius. IVF outcomes were abstracted from electronic medical records. We used multivariable generalized linear mixed models to evaluate the associations between residential proximity to major roadways and traffic density and IVF outcomes adjusting for maternal age, body mass index, race, education level, smoking status, and census tract median income. RESULTS Closer residential proximity to major roadways was statistically significantly associated with lower probability of implantation and live birth following IVF. The adjusted percentage of IVF cycles resulting in live birth for women living ≥400 m from a major roadway was 46% (95% CI 36, 56%) compared to 33% (95% CI 26, 40%) for women living <50 m (p-for-comparison, 0.04). Of the intermediate outcomes, there were suggestive associations between living closer to major roadways and slightly higher estradiol trigger concentrations (p-trend = 0.16) and lower endometrial thickness (p-trend = 0.06). Near-residence traffic density was not associated with outcomes of IVF. CONCLUSION Closer residential proximity to major roadways was related to reduced likelihood of live birth following IVF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey J Gaskins
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Jaime E Hart
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jorge E Chavarro
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Francine Laden
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer B Ford
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irene Souter
- Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Russ Hauser
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Casey JA, Gemmill A, Karasek D, Ogburn EL, Goin DE, Morello-Frosch R. Increase in fertility following coal and oil power plant retirements in California. Environ Health 2018; 17:44. [PMID: 29720194 PMCID: PMC5932773 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-018-0388-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have explored the relationship between air pollution and fertility. We used a natural experiment in California when coal and oil power plants retired to estimate associations with nearby fertility rates. METHODS We used a difference-in-differences negative binomial model on the incident rate ratio scale to analyze the change in annual fertility rates among California mothers living within 0-5 km and 5-10 km of 8 retired power plants between 2001 and 2011. The difference-in-differences method isolates the portion of the pre- versus post-retirement contrast in the 0-5 km and 5-10 km bins, respectively, that is due to retirement rather than secular trends. We controlled for secular trends with mothers living 10-20 km away. Adjusted models included fixed effects for power plant, proportion Hispanic, Black, high school educated, and aged > 30 years mothers, and neighborhood poverty and educational attainment. RESULTS Analyses included 58,909 live births. In adjusted models, we estimated that after power plant retirement annual fertility rates per 1000 women aged 15-44 years increased by 8 births within 5 km and 2 births within 5-10 km of power plants, corresponding to incident rate ratios of 1.2 (95% CI: 1.1-1.4) and 1.1 (95% CI: 1.0-1.2), respectively. We implemented a negative exposure control by randomly selecting power plants that did not retire and repeating our analysis with those locations using the retirement dates from original 8 power plants. There was no association, suggesting that statewide temporal trends may not account for results. CONCLUSIONS Fertility rates among nearby populations appeared to increase after coal and oil power plant retirements. Our study design limited the possibility that our findings resulted from temporal trends or changes in population composition. These results require confirmation in other populations, given known methodological limitations of ecologic study designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan A. Casey
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, 13B University Hall, Berkeley, CA 94729 USA
| | - Alison Gemmill
- Program in Public Health, Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, HSC, Level 3, Room 071, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338 USA
| | - Deborah Karasek
- Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 550 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158 USA
| | - Elizabeth L. Ogburn
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Room E3620, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Dana E. Goin
- Division of Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, CA 94729 USA
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management and the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
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Udagawa O, Furuyama A, Imai K, Fujitani Y, Hirano S. Effects of diesel exhaust-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA) on oocytes: Potential risks to meiotic maturation. Reprod Toxicol 2017; 75:56-64. [PMID: 29158200 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 09/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Particulate air pollution (PM 2.5) is a worldwide concern. Growing epidemiological evidence has shown pathophysiological effects of PM 2.5, not only on cardiovascular system but also on reproductive performance. The composition and physicochemical properties of PM 2.5 vary depending on the emission sources, climate conditions, and complex chemical reactions in the air. These factors make it difficult to understand the cause and mechanistic details of the adverse health effects of PM 2.5. Here, we show potential impacts of PM 2.5 on oocyte maturation in mice by utilizing diesel exhaust-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA), a major component of urban PM 2.5. We found that the SOA destabilized microtubules of mouse oocytes and p-benzoquinone is one of the candidates for the microtubule-destabilizing compounds. We propose that some biologically reactive components of PM 2.5 should be prioritized for the regulation of atmospheric quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Udagawa
- Center for Health & Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Akiko Furuyama
- Center for Health & Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Koji Imai
- Center for Health & Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yuji Fujitani
- Center for Health & Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Seishiro Hirano
- Center for Health & Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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Carré J, Gatimel N, Moreau J, Parinaud J, Léandri R. Does air pollution play a role in infertility?: a systematic review. Environ Health 2017; 16:82. [PMID: 28754128 PMCID: PMC5534122 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-017-0291-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Air pollution is involved in many pathologies. These pollutants act through several mechanisms that can affect numerous physiological functions, including reproduction: as endocrine disruptors or reactive oxygen species inducers, and through the formation of DNA adducts and/or epigenetic modifications. We conducted a systematic review of the published literature on the impact of air pollution on reproductive function. Eligible studies were selected from an electronic literature search from the PUBMED database from January 2000 to February 2016 and associated references in published studies. Search terms included (1) ovary or follicle or oocyte or testis or testicular or sperm or spermatozoa or fertility or infertility and (2) air quality or O3 or NO2 or PM2.5 or diesel or SO2 or traffic or PM10 or air pollution or air pollutants. The literature search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We have included the human and animal studies corresponding to the search terms and published in English. We have excluded articles whose results did not concern fertility or gamete function and those focused on cancer or allergy. We have also excluded genetic, auto-immune or iatrogenic causes of reduced reproduction function from our analysis. Finally, we have excluded animal data that does not concern mammals and studies based on results from in vitro culture. Data have been grouped according to the studied pollutants in order to synthetize their impact on fertility and the molecular pathways involved. CONCLUSION Both animal and human epidemiological studies support the idea that air pollutants cause defects during gametogenesis leading to a drop in reproductive capacities in exposed populations. Air quality has an impact on overall health as well as on the reproductive function, so increased awareness of environmental protection issues is needed among the general public and the authorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Carré
- Médecine de la Reproduction, CHU Toulouse, 31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Nicolas Gatimel
- Médecine de la Reproduction, CHU Toulouse, 31059 Toulouse, France
- Groupe de Recherche en Fertilité Humaine EA 3694, Université Paul Sabatier, 31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Jessika Moreau
- Médecine de la Reproduction, CHU Toulouse, 31059 Toulouse, France
- Groupe de Recherche en Fertilité Humaine EA 3694, Université Paul Sabatier, 31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Jean Parinaud
- Médecine de la Reproduction, CHU Toulouse, 31059 Toulouse, France
- Groupe de Recherche en Fertilité Humaine EA 3694, Université Paul Sabatier, 31059 Toulouse, France
- Médecine de la Reproduction, CHU Paule de Viguier, 330 avenue de Grande Bretagne, 31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Roger Léandri
- Médecine de la Reproduction, CHU Toulouse, 31059 Toulouse, France
- Groupe de Recherche en Fertilité Humaine EA 3694, Université Paul Sabatier, 31059 Toulouse, France
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Chiang C, Mahalingam S, Flaws JA. Environmental Contaminants Affecting Fertility and Somatic Health. Semin Reprod Med 2017; 35:241-249. [PMID: 28658707 DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1603569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThis review article summarizes the epidemiological findings published between 2011 and 2016 concerning bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, dioxins, pesticides, air pollution, fracking chemicals, triclosan, and parabens and fertility parameters in men (i.e., semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, and sperm morphology) as well as fertility parameters in women (i.e., cyclicity, fertility treatment outcomes), pregnancy outcomes (i.e., preterm birth, miscarriage), and reproductive disorders (i.e., polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids). Overall, this review indicates that several environmental toxicants are significantly associated with reduced fertility parameters in men and women as well as several reproductive disorders in women. Although many studies reported that the selected exposures are associated with adverse fertility outcomes, several studies reported null associations. Thus, future studies are still needed to better elucidate the associations and potential mechanisms between these environmental chemicals and fertility outcomes in men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catheryne Chiang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Sharada Mahalingam
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Jodi A Flaws
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
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Johansson HKL, Hansen JS, Elfving B, Lund SP, Kyjovska ZO, Loft S, Barfod KK, Jackson P, Vogel U, Hougaard KS. Airway exposure to multi-walled carbon nanotubes disrupts the female reproductive cycle without affecting pregnancy outcomes in mice. Part Fibre Toxicol 2017; 14:17. [PMID: 28558787 PMCID: PMC5450058 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-017-0197-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) is increasing due to a growing use in a variety of products across several industries. Thus, occupational exposure is also of increasing concern, particularly since airway exposure to MWCNTs can induce sustained pulmonary acute phase response and inflammation in experimental animals, which may affect female reproduction. This proof-of-principle study therefore aimed to investigate if lung exposure by intratracheal instillation of the MWCNT NM-400 would affect the estrous cycle and reproductive function in female mice. RESULTS Estrous cycle regularity was investigated by comparing vaginal smears before and after exposure to 67 μg of NM-400, whereas reproductive function was analyzed by measuring time to delivery of litters after instillation of 2, 18 or 67 μg of NM-400. Compared to normal estrous cycling determined prior to exposure, exposure to MWCNT significantly prolonged the estrous cycle during which exposure took place, but significantly shortened the estrous cycle immediately after the exposed cycle. No consistent effects were seen on time to delivery of litter or other gestational or litter parameters, such as litter size, sex ratio, implantations and implantation loss. CONCLUSION Lung exposure to MWCNT interfered with estrous cycling. Effects caused by MWCNTs depended on the time of exposure: the estrous stage was particularly sensitive to exposure, as animals exposed during this stage showed a higher incidence of irregular cycling after exposure. Our data indicates that MWCNT exposure may interfere with events leading to ovulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. K. L. Johansson
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen Ø, DK-2100 Denmark
- Present Address: Division of Diet, Disease Prevention and Toxicology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, DK-2860 Denmark
| | - J. S. Hansen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen Ø, DK-2100 Denmark
| | - B. Elfving
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Risskov, DK-8240 Denmark
| | - S. P. Lund
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen Ø, DK-2100 Denmark
| | - Z. O. Kyjovska
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen Ø, DK-2100 Denmark
| | - S. Loft
- Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen K, DK-1014 Denmark
| | - K. K. Barfod
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen Ø, DK-2100 Denmark
| | - P. Jackson
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen Ø, DK-2100 Denmark
| | - U. Vogel
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen Ø, DK-2100 Denmark
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, DTU-Nanotech, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, DK-2800 Denmark
| | - K. S. Hougaard
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen Ø, DK-2100 Denmark
- Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen K, DK-1014 Denmark
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