Association between traffic-related air pollution exposure and fertility-assisted births

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that traffic-related air pollution is associated with adverse fertility outcomes, such as reduced fecundability and subfertility. The purpose of this research is to investigate if PM2.5 exposure prior to conception or traffic-related exposures (traffic density and distance to nearest major roadway) at birth address is associated with fertility-assisted births. We obtained all live and still births from the Massachusetts state birth registry with an estimated conception date between January 2002 through December 2008. All births requiring fertility drugs or assisted reproductive technology (ART) were identified as cases. We randomly selected 2,000 infants conceived each year to serve as a common control group. PM2.5 exposure was assessed using 4-km spatial satellite remote sensing, meteorological and land use spatiotemporal models at geocoded birth addresses for the year prior to conception. The mean PM2.5 level was 9.81 µg/m3 (standard deviation=1.70 µg/m3), with a maximum of 14.27 µg/m3. We calculated crude and adjusted fertility treatment odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) per interquartile range of 1.72 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure. Our final analyses included 10,748 fertility-assisted births and 12,225 controls. After adjusting for parental age, marital status, race, maternal education, insurance status, parity, and year of birth, average PM2.5 exposure during the year prior to conception was weakly associated with fertility treatment (OR: 1.01; 95%CI: 0.97, 1.05). Fertility-assisted births were inversely associated with traffic density (highest quartile compared to lowest quartile, OR: 0.92; 95%CI: 0.83, 1.02) and positively associated with distance from major roadway (OR per 100 m: 1.01; 95%CI: 1.00, 1.02) in adjusted analyses. We did not find strong evidence to support an adverse relationship between traffic-related air pollution exposure and fertility-assisted births.

Implications of Exposure to Air Pollution on Male Reproduction: The Role of Oxidative Stress

“…On the other hand, a lack of meaningful association between traffic-related air pollution exposure and fertility-assisted births was reported in a retrospective study conducted by Thampy and Vieira, based on data attained from the Massachusetts state birth registry [122]. However, they found that fertility-assisted births were associated negatively with traffic density and positively with distance from major roadways [122]. Furthermore, a similar study utilizing national data in the USA did not show any correlation between reproductive outcomes and average daily concentrations of PM 2.5 and O 3 [123].…”

Road Traffic Pollution, Motor Driving Occupation and Human Reproductive Health- An Overview

“…They found no significant solid adverse association between trafficconnected air pollution exposure and fertility-assisted births. Further studies in more highly exposed study areas are needed to draw inferences [42].…”