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Methodologic and statistical approaches to studying human fertility and environmental exposure
Candace Tingen1, Joseph B Stanford, David B Dunson
1Biostatistics Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health/DHHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
Environmental Health Perspectives
|December 31, 2003
Summary
Detailed prospective studies are crucial for understanding how environmental exposures affect human fertility. Collecting precise data on menstrual cycles and ovulation offers a gold standard for accurate fertility research.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Epidemiology
- Environmental Health Science
Background:
- Standard epidemiologic studies may lack sufficient data to assess subtle effects of environmental exposures on human fertility.
- Conventional time to pregnancy studies are susceptible to various biases, potentially skewing results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review different study designs for assessing environmental exposure effects on fertility.
- To highlight the data requirements, practical considerations, and statistical methods for robust fertility research.
Main Methods:
- Prospective data collection including menstrual bleeding, intercourse timing, and ovulation markers.
- Analysis of day-specific conception probabilities.
- Comparison of various epidemiologic study designs.
Main Results:
- Detailed prospective studies provide precise information on exposure effects.
- This approach allows for adjustment of primary sources of bias inherent in other designs.
Conclusions:
- Detailed prospective studies are the gold standard for investigating environmental exposures' impact on fertility.
- These studies enable accurate inferences on day-specific probabilities of conception.