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Persistent environmental pollutants and couple fecundity: an overview
1Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd., Room 7B03, Rockville, Maryland 20852, USA.
Reproduction (Cambridge, England)
|December 7, 2013
Summary
Human fecundity may be declining due to persistent environmental chemicals. Studies show these chemicals are linked to longer time-to-pregnancy (TTP), indicating reduced couple fertility.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Reproductive Toxicology
- Human Epidemiology
Background:
- Growing concerns about declining human fecundity.
- Potential role of persistent environmental chemicals in reproductive health.
- Limited human data contrasts with extensive animal evidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between exposure to persistent environmental chemicals and human fecundity.
- To synthesize findings from existing human cohorts examining time-to-pregnancy (TTP).
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from ten study cohorts quantifying individual chemical exposures.
- Assessment of chemical exposure in relation to time-to-pregnancy (TTP) as a measure of couple fecundity.
- Review of methodological limitations in existing studies.
Main Results:
- Most studies observed diminished fecundability odds ratios (longer TTP), suggesting reduced couple fertility.
- Specific chemicals linked to longer TTP include cadmium, lead, mercury, and certain organochlorines and perfluorochemicals.
- Statistical significance varied across studies, and not all findings were significant.
Conclusions:
- Current human evidence, while limited, aligns with animal studies suggesting adverse reproductive effects of persistent chemicals.
- Methodological challenges include reliance on pregnant women, retrospective TTP reporting, and underrepresentation of male/couple exposures.
- Future research needs longitudinal TTP measurement and couple recruitment across pregnancies to understand chemical toxicokinetics and impacts on fecundity.
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