Does air pollution play a role in infertility?: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Reproductive Biology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Air pollution is linked to numerous pathologies, impacting physiological functions including reproduction.
• Pollutants exert effects through mechanisms like endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, DNA adducts, and epigenetic modifications.
• A systematic review was conducted to synthesize the impact of air pollution on reproductive function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize published literature on the effects of air pollution on reproductive function in humans and animals.
• To identify the specific air pollutants and their associated molecular pathways impacting fertility.
• To consolidate evidence on the detrimental effects of environmental pollutants on reproductive health.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of the PubMed database (January 2000 - February 2016) and associated references.
• Inclusion of human and animal studies (mammals) in English, focusing on fertility and gamete function.
• Exclusion of studies on cancer, allergy, non-mammalian data, in vitro results, and non-environmental reproductive issues.
• Data grouped by pollutant to analyze impacts on fertility and molecular mechanisms.
• Adherence to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Main Results:

• Evidence from animal and human studies indicates air pollutants induce gametogenesis defects.
• Exposure to air pollutants leads to reduced reproductive capacity in affected populations.
• Specific pollutants and their mechanisms of action on reproductive function were identified.

Conclusions:

• Air pollution demonstrably impairs reproductive health and function.
• Gametogenesis defects caused by pollutants contribute to decreased fertility.
• Increased public and governmental awareness of environmental protection is crucial for reproductive health.