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Time to pregnancy and infertility among women with a high intake of fish contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds

Axmon, Anna LU orcid ; Rylander, Lars LU orcid ; Strömberg, Ulf LU and Hagmar, L (2000) In Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 26(3). p.199-206
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of persistent organochlorine compounds through the dietary intake of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea on human fertility. METHODS: Information on time to pregnancy, subfertility, and infertility was collected retrospectively by self-administered questionnaires in 2 cohorts of fishermen's wives from the Swedish east (by the Baltic Sea) and west coasts. In addition to cohort affiliation, current fish consumption and growing up in a fishing village were used as proxies for exposure within the eastcoast cohort. RESULTS: A decreased success (ie, pregnancy) rate and a tendency towards increased subfertility was found for heavy smokers (> or =10 cigarettes/day) in the eastcoast... (More)
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of persistent organochlorine compounds through the dietary intake of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea on human fertility. METHODS: Information on time to pregnancy, subfertility, and infertility was collected retrospectively by self-administered questionnaires in 2 cohorts of fishermen's wives from the Swedish east (by the Baltic Sea) and west coasts. In addition to cohort affiliation, current fish consumption and growing up in a fishing village were used as proxies for exposure within the eastcoast cohort. RESULTS: A decreased success (ie, pregnancy) rate and a tendency towards increased subfertility was found for heavy smokers (> or =10 cigarettes/day) in the eastcoast cohort as compared with the westcoast cohort [success rate ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.49-.89; subfertility odds ratio 1.64, 95% CI 0.91-2.91). However, internal analyses within the eastcoast cohort did not show that growing up in a fishing village or high current fish consumption decreased the success rate. Eastcoast cohort affiliation showed an increased risk for infertility (odds ratio 2.49, 95% CI 1.05-5.92). CONCLUSIONS: The present data give some support for a negative association between exposure to persistent organochlorine compounds and fertility among heavy smokers. However, when the proxy exposure measures are also considered, the findings are not consistent. Better individual exposure assessments should be used before more firm conclusions are drawn. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
volume
26
issue
3
pages
199 - 206
publisher
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
external identifiers
  • pmid:10901111
  • scopus:0033938366
ISSN
0355-3140
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5ae7a0bd-b3fe-4ac8-8dbb-9ae45c00e421 (old id 1117500)
alternative location
http://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=532
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 08:46:47
date last changed
2022-04-23 17:59:15
@article{5ae7a0bd-b3fe-4ac8-8dbb-9ae45c00e421,
  abstract     = {{OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of persistent organochlorine compounds through the dietary intake of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea on human fertility. METHODS: Information on time to pregnancy, subfertility, and infertility was collected retrospectively by self-administered questionnaires in 2 cohorts of fishermen's wives from the Swedish east (by the Baltic Sea) and west coasts. In addition to cohort affiliation, current fish consumption and growing up in a fishing village were used as proxies for exposure within the eastcoast cohort. RESULTS: A decreased success (ie, pregnancy) rate and a tendency towards increased subfertility was found for heavy smokers (> or =10 cigarettes/day) in the eastcoast cohort as compared with the westcoast cohort [success rate ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.49-.89; subfertility odds ratio 1.64, 95% CI 0.91-2.91). However, internal analyses within the eastcoast cohort did not show that growing up in a fishing village or high current fish consumption decreased the success rate. Eastcoast cohort affiliation showed an increased risk for infertility (odds ratio 2.49, 95% CI 1.05-5.92). CONCLUSIONS: The present data give some support for a negative association between exposure to persistent organochlorine compounds and fertility among heavy smokers. However, when the proxy exposure measures are also considered, the findings are not consistent. Better individual exposure assessments should be used before more firm conclusions are drawn.}},
  author       = {{Axmon, Anna and Rylander, Lars and Strömberg, Ulf and Hagmar, L}},
  issn         = {{0355-3140}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{199--206}},
  publisher    = {{Finnish Institute of Occupational Health}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health}},
  title        = {{Time to pregnancy and infertility among women with a high intake of fish contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds}},
  url          = {{http://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=532}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2000}},
}