This study was carried out on healthy and young men, so it is difficult to predict whether and how the observed differences in semen quality translate into reproductive success for men in couples trying to conceive. These results suggest that traditional Mediterranean diets may have a positive impact on male reproductive potential.

BackgroundIn animals, anogenital distance (AGD) at birth reflects androgen levels during pregnancy and predicts adult AGD. Little is known about AGD in relation to female reproductive characteristics in humans, a question this study was designed to explore.MethodsWe used multiple linear and logistic regression analyses to model the relationships between adult female reproductive system characteristics (e.g. ovarian morphology, menstrual cycle) and two measures of AGD [anus-fourchette (AGDAF) and anus-clitoris (AGDAC)] in 100 college-age volunteers in Spain. Ovarian morphology was classified as having < 6 or ≥ 6 follicles per ovary.ResultsBoth AGD measures were positively associated with ovarian follicle number, with AGDAF being more strongly associated. Women in the upper tertile of the AGDAF and AGDAC distributions were more likely to have ≥ 6 ovarian follicles [OR: 6.0 (95% CI 2.0, 17.6) and 3.0 (95% CI 1.1, 8.6), respectively] compared to women in the lowest tertile.ConclusionsIncreased follicular recruitment has been related to excess androgen exposure in utero in toxicological studies. Our results suggest that the androgenic environment during early fetal life may influence reproductive system development, including AGD, in human females.

Background:Evidence from animal studies suggests that exposure to organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) can disrupt endocrine function and impair embryo development. However, no epidemiologic studies have been conducted to evaluate effects on fertility and pregnancy outcomes.Objectives:We evaluated associations between urinary concentrations of PFR metabolites and outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment among couples recruited from an academic fertility clinic.Methods:This analysis included 211 women enrolled in the Environment And Reproductive Health (EARTH) prospective cohort study (2005–2015) who provided one or two urine samples per IVF cycle. We measured five urinary PFR metabolites [bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), isopropylphenyl phenyl phosphate (ip-PPP), tert-butylphenyl phenyl phosphate (tb-PPP), and bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP)] using negative electrospray ionization liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Molar concentrations of the urinary PFR metabolites were summed. We used multivariable generalized linear mixed models to evaluate the association of the PFR metabolites with IVF outcomes, accounting for multiple IVF cycles per woman.Results:Detection frequencies were high for BDCIPP (87%), DPHP (94%), and ip-PPP (80%), but low for tb-PPP (14%) and BCIPP (0%). We observed decreased success for several IVF outcomes across increasing quartiles of both summed and individual PFR metabolites (DPHP and ip-PPP) in our adjusted multivariable models. Significant declines in adjusted means from the lowest to highest quartile of ΣPFR were observed for the proportion of cycles resulting in successful fertilization (10% decrease), implantation (31%), clinical pregnancy (41%), and live birth (38%).Conclusions:Using IVF to investigate human reproduction and pregnancy outcomes, we found that concentrations of some urinary PFR metabolites were negatively associated with proportions of successful fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1021

for the EARTH Study Team IMPORTANCE Animal experiments suggest that ingestion of pesticide mixtures at environmentally relevant concentrations decreases the number of live-born offspring. Whether the same is true in humans is unknown.OBJECTIVE To examine the association of preconception intake of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables (FVs) with outcomes of infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technologies (ART). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSThis analysis included 325 women who completed a diet assessment and subsequently underwent 541 ART cycles in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) prospective cohort study (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016) at a fertility center at a teaching hospital. We categorized FVs as having high or low pesticide residues using a validated method based on surveillance data from the US Department of Agriculture. Cluster-weighted generalized estimating equations were used to analyze associations of high-and low-pesticide residue FV intake with ART outcomes. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Adjusted probabilities of clinical pregnancy and live birth per treatment cycle. RESULTSIn the 325 participants (mean [SD] age, 35.1 [4.0] y; body mass index, 24.1 [4.3]), mean (SD) intakes of high-and low-pesticide residue FVs were 1.7 (1.0) and 2.8 (1.6) servings/d, respectively. Greater intake of high-pesticide residue FVs was associated with a lower probability of clinical pregnancy and live birth. Compared with women in the lowest quartile of high-pesticide FV intake (<1.0 servings/d), women in the highest quartile (Ն2.3 servings/d) had 18% (95% CI, 5%-30%) lower probability of clinical pregnancy and 26% (95% CI, 13%-37%) lower probability of live birth. Intake of low-pesticide residue FVs was not significantly related to ART outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEHigher consumption of high-pesticide residue FVs was associated with lower probabilities of pregnancy and live birth following infertility treatment with ART. These data suggest that dietary pesticide exposure within the range of typical human exposure may be associated with adverse reproductive consequences.

The EARTH Study is one of the few cohorts designed to examine multiple potentially critical windows of vulnerability, including the paternal and maternal preconception windows and the periconception and prenatal windows in pregnancy. It is also one of the few human studies that has assessed potential interactions between environmental exposures and dietary factors.