Pollution leading reason for infertility in men and women: Study
The results of the study were consistent amongst socioeconomic classes and geographical areas, indicating that pollution-related dangers were prevalent.
A recent study found that prolonged exposure to noise and air pollution could increase the chance of infertility. The study discovered that road noise and fine particulate matter in the air were the main causes of infertility in both sexes. Notably, noise pollution was identified as a significant reason for infertility in women, while air pollution emerged as a greater reason for infertility in males. This research highlights how environmental factors can impact reproductive health, with specific pollutants affecting each gender differently.
The study, published on Thursday in the journal BMJ, investigated how exposure to environmental contaminants, which is now frequent among city dwellers, affected reproductive health. Data from 526,056 males and 377,850 women, aged 30 to 45, who were married or cohabiting and had less than two children, were evaluated for the Danish study. The subjects were observed between the years 2000 and 2017.
Impact on Men
Men who are exposed to higher average levels of PM2.5 over a five-year period are at a 24 per cent higher risk of infertility. PM2.5 particles are small and can enter the bloodstream and deep within the lungs.
Professor of andrology at the University of Manchester, Dr. Allan Pacey, who was not involved in the study, commented, “The results are interesting and seem to confirm the hypothesis that exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution is linked to higher risk of infertility in men.”
“This has been an area of concern for a while but my reading of the literature is that the previous studies have been relatively small and frequently used surrogate markers of infertility such as changes to semen quality. In this current study, the authors have linked exposure to infertility diagnosis, which is more robust in my view.”
Impact on Women
PM2.5 exposure did not affect women’s fertility in the same way. What actually affected it was road traffic noise, which was linked to a 14% increased risk of infertility among women over the age of 35 who were exposed to elevated noise levels for five years. Women between the ages of 30 and 35 did not exhibit this causality.
The chief scientific officer of Care Fertility, Dr. Alison Campbell, stated that “although noise hasn’t been widely studied in relation to fertility, there’s evidence suggesting a link between noise-induced stress and sleep disturbance, which could impact fertility.” Campbell was not involved in the study.
Men’s exposure to road traffic noise increased the chance of infertility slightly in the 37–45 age range, but had no discernible impact on younger men.
Results across varying demographics
The results of the study were consistent amongst socioeconomic classes and geographical areas, indicating that pollution-related dangers were prevalent. Nonetheless, experts and researchers advised against making clear-cut cause-and-effect inferences. Dr. Pacey stated, “We should keep in mind that this is only an association and that we cannot infer cause or effect from the data presented.”
“The authors have done a good job in controlling for several important confounders, such as socioeconomic factors but it is possible that the real cause of this association lies with something that it was not possible to measure.”
Although the study adjusted for income, education, and occupation, it did not take into consideration lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or body mass index, all of which may have an impact on fertility risk. It also did not assess exposure to pollution and noise outside of the home, such as at work.
Researchers stated that additional research was needed to confirm the findings and better understand the potential influence of pollution on fertility. “If our results are validated, it highlights the importance of implementing policies to mitigate air pollution and noise as part of efforts to enhance reproductive health,” the researchers stated.
According to the UN, air pollution caused 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021 due to a variety of health issues, making it the second largest cause of mortality.
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