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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Occupational exposure to endocrine disruptors and time to pregnancy among couples in a large birth cohort study: the
Claudia A Snijder1, Marijn M Brouwers, Vincent W V Jaddoe
1Generation R Study Group Erasmus Medical Center, Department of Public Health, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Objective:
To study the influence of occupational exposure to endocrine disruptors (EDs) on time to pregnancy (TTP).
Design:
Cross-sectional analysis within a prospective, population-based cohort study.
Setting:
Medical center.
Patient(S):
Mothers and fathers who filled out a questionnaire during mid-pregnancy (response 77% and 82% of enrollment, respectively) were selected if the pregnancy was planned and either parent performed paid employment. In total, 2,774 mothers and 2,728 partners were included in the statistical analyses.
Interventions(S):
None.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Self-reported TTP (months).
Result(S):
There was no correlation between maternal and paternal exposure, because κ values for agreement for all exposure categories ranged from 0.03 to 0.13. Paternal occupational exposure to heavy metals (hazard ratio of pregnancy 0.83; 95% confidence interval 0.71-0.97) and overall exposure to EDs (hazard ratio 0.85; 95% confidence interval 0.75-0.96) was statistically significantly associated with an increased TTP. Maternal occupational exposure to all categories of EDs showed prolonged TTP, but the decreased hazard ratios were not statistically significant.
Conclusion(S):
This birth cohort study provides indications for adverse effects of parental occupational exposure to EDs on TTP.
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