COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - A recent study, published in the journal BMJ, revealed that prolonged exposure to air and noise pollution can lead to higher infertility risks, affecting men and women differently.
The research, conducted in Denmark, analyzed data from 526,056 men and 377,850 women aged 30 to 45, all of whom had fewer than two children and were either cohabiting or married. It involved those who lived in the country between 2000 and 2017, and were trying to get pregnant.
The findings disclosed that exposure to PM2.5, tiny particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, increased the risk of infertility in men by 24 percent. However, it does not have much effect in women.
Meanwhile, the women over 35 exposed to noise levels exceeding 10.2 decibels faced a 14 percent increased risk of infertility. However, the noise-related effect was not observed in women aged between 30 and 35.
Researchers concluded, 'Based on a nationwide cohort, designed to include a high proportion of people actively trying to achieve pregnancy, we found that PM2.5 was associated with a higher risk of an infertility diagnosis among men and road traffic noise was associated with a higher risk of an infertility diagnosis among women older than 35 years, and possibly among men older than 37 years'.
'As many western countries are facing declining birthrates and increasing maternal age at the birth of a first child, knowledge on environmental pollutants affecting fertility is crucial. If our results are confirmed in future studies, it suggests that political implementation of air pollution and noise mitigations may be important tools for improving birthrates in the western world.'
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