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Fertility in four regions spanning large contrasts in serum levels of widespread persistent organochlorines: a cross-sectional study

Toft, Gunnar ; Axmon, Anna LU orcid ; Giwercman, Aleksander LU ; Thulstrup, Ane Marie ; Rignell-Hydbom, Anna LU ; Pedersen, Henning Sloth ; Ludwicki, Jan K ; Zvyezday, Valentina ; Zinchuk, Andery and Spano, Marcello , et al. (2005) In Environmental Health 4(26).
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) may interfere with reproductive function but direct evidence in humans is very limited. METHODS: Fertility was examined in four regions with contrasting blood levels of POPs. Pregnant women and their partners in Warsaw (Poland), Kharkiv (Ukraine) and Greenland were consecutively enrolled during antenatal visits. Swedish fishermen and their spouses were recruited separately and independently of current pregnancy. Lipid adjusted serum concentrations of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (DDE) were available for both partners. Time to pregnancy interviews were obtained among 2269 women and 798 men provided a semen sample.... (More)
BACKGROUND: Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) may interfere with reproductive function but direct evidence in humans is very limited. METHODS: Fertility was examined in four regions with contrasting blood levels of POPs. Pregnant women and their partners in Warsaw (Poland), Kharkiv (Ukraine) and Greenland were consecutively enrolled during antenatal visits. Swedish fishermen and their spouses were recruited separately and independently of current pregnancy. Lipid adjusted serum concentrations of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (DDE) were available for both partners. Time to pregnancy interviews were obtained among 2269 women and 798 men provided a semen sample. RESULTS: Inuits had high levels of both POP markers, Swedish fishermen were high in CB-153 but low in DDE, men from Kharkiv were high in DDE and low in CB-153 while men from Warsaw were low in CB-153 and had intermediate DDE levels. Compared to Warsaw couples, fecundability was reduced among couples from Kharkiv [adjusted fecundability ratio (FR) 0.64 (95% CI 0.5-0.8)] and elevated in Swedish fishermen families [FR 1.26 (95% CI 1.0-1.6)]. Adjusted geometric means of sperm counts and morphology did not differ between regions while sperm motility was higher in men living in Warsaw. CONCLUSION: We observed regional differences in time to pregnancy and sperm motility that may be related to regional differences in POP blood levels, but other interpretations are also plausible. In particular, differences in access to safe contraception and in the prevalence of contraceptive failures are most likely to bias comparisons of time to pregnancy. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Environmental Health
volume
4
issue
26
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • pmid:16280075
  • scopus:28844489678
ISSN
1476-069X
DOI
10.1186/1476-069X-4-26
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
edbe63fa-8d77-4121-a2c4-929171111bfd (old id 1132113)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:59:58
date last changed
2022-03-22 07:38:16
@article{edbe63fa-8d77-4121-a2c4-929171111bfd,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) may interfere with reproductive function but direct evidence in humans is very limited. METHODS: Fertility was examined in four regions with contrasting blood levels of POPs. Pregnant women and their partners in Warsaw (Poland), Kharkiv (Ukraine) and Greenland were consecutively enrolled during antenatal visits. Swedish fishermen and their spouses were recruited separately and independently of current pregnancy. Lipid adjusted serum concentrations of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (DDE) were available for both partners. Time to pregnancy interviews were obtained among 2269 women and 798 men provided a semen sample. RESULTS: Inuits had high levels of both POP markers, Swedish fishermen were high in CB-153 but low in DDE, men from Kharkiv were high in DDE and low in CB-153 while men from Warsaw were low in CB-153 and had intermediate DDE levels. Compared to Warsaw couples, fecundability was reduced among couples from Kharkiv [adjusted fecundability ratio (FR) 0.64 (95% CI 0.5-0.8)] and elevated in Swedish fishermen families [FR 1.26 (95% CI 1.0-1.6)]. Adjusted geometric means of sperm counts and morphology did not differ between regions while sperm motility was higher in men living in Warsaw. CONCLUSION: We observed regional differences in time to pregnancy and sperm motility that may be related to regional differences in POP blood levels, but other interpretations are also plausible. In particular, differences in access to safe contraception and in the prevalence of contraceptive failures are most likely to bias comparisons of time to pregnancy.}},
  author       = {{Toft, Gunnar and Axmon, Anna and Giwercman, Aleksander and Thulstrup, Ane Marie and Rignell-Hydbom, Anna and Pedersen, Henning Sloth and Ludwicki, Jan K and Zvyezday, Valentina and Zinchuk, Andery and Spano, Marcello and Manicardi, Gian Carlo and Bonefeld-Jørgensen, Eva C and Hagmar, Lars and Bonde, Jens Peter}},
  issn         = {{1476-069X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{26}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{Environmental Health}},
  title        = {{Fertility in four regions spanning large contrasts in serum levels of widespread persistent organochlorines: a cross-sectional study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-4-26}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/1476-069X-4-26}},
  volume       = {{4}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}