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Nobles CJ, Mendola P, Kim K, Pollack AZ, Mumford SL, Perkins NJ, Silver RM, Schisterman EF. Preconception Phthalate Exposure and Women's Reproductive Health: Pregnancy, Pregnancy Loss, and Underlying Mechanisms. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:127013. [PMID: 38088888 PMCID: PMC10718297 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Despite the sensitivity of female reproductive processes to oxidation-reduction reaction stress and endocrine disruption, evidence for the impact of women's phthalate exposure on the ability to establish and maintain pregnancy has been inconclusive. OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine the relationship of preconception phthalate metabolite exposure with a) fecundability and pregnancy loss and b) markers of potential biological mechanisms, including reproductive hormones, inflammation, and oxidative stress. METHODS Data were collected from the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction (EAGeR) trial, a preconception study following 1,228 women who were attempting pregnancy, for up to six menstrual cycles and throughout pregnancy if they became pregnant. Twenty phthalate metabolites were measured in a consecutive 3-d pooled urine sample at enrollment. Pregnancy was determined through urinary human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) at the expected date of menses during each cycle and pregnancy loss as an observed loss following positive hCG. Highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and isoprostanes were measured at enrollment, and reproductive hormones were measured during the follicular phase, ovulation, and luteal phase. Discrete-time Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the relationship of phthalate metabolites with fecundability and weighted Poisson models with robust variance evaluated the risk of pregnancy loss. RESULTS An interquartile range (IQR) higher mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate [fecundability odds ratio ( FOR ) = 0.88 ; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78, 1.00], mono-butyl phthalate (FOR = 0.82 ; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.96), and mono-benzyl phthalate (FOR = 0.85 ; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.98) was associated with lower fecundability. No consistent associations were observed with pregnancy loss. Preconception phthalates were consistently associated with higher hsCRP and isoprostanes, as well as lower estradiol and higher follicle-stimulating hormone across the menstrual cycle. DISCUSSION Women's preconception exposure to phthalates was associated with lower fecundability, changes in reproductive hormones, and increased inflammation and oxidative stress. The pre- and periconception periods may represent sensitive windows for intervening to limit the reproductive toxicity of phthalate exposure. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12287.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie J. Nobles
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pauline Mendola
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Keewan Kim
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anna Z. Pollack
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Sunni L. Mumford
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Neil J. Perkins
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert M. Silver
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Enrique F. Schisterman
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Parisi F, Fenizia C, Introini A, Zavatta A, Scaccabarozzi C, Biasin M, Savasi V. The pathophysiological role of estrogens in the initial stages of pregnancy: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications for pregnancy outcome from the periconceptional period to end of the first trimester. Hum Reprod Update 2023; 29:699-720. [PMID: 37353909 PMCID: PMC10628507 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmad016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Estrogens regulate disparate female physiological processes, thus ensuring reproduction. Altered estrogen levels and signaling have been associated with increased risks of pregnancy failure and complications, including hypertensive disorders and low birthweight babies. However, the role of estrogens in the periconceptional period and early pregnancy is still understudied. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This review aims to summarize the current evidence on the role of maternal estrogens during the periconceptional period and the first trimester of pregnancies conceived naturally and following ART. Detailed molecular mechanisms and related clinical impacts are extensively described. SEARCH METHODS Data for this narrative review were independently identified by seven researchers on Pubmed and Embase databases. The following keywords were selected: 'estrogens' OR 'estrogen level(s)' OR 'serum estradiol' OR 'estradiol/estrogen concentration', AND 'early pregnancy' OR 'first trimester of pregnancy' OR 'preconceptional period' OR 'ART' OR 'In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)' OR 'Embryo Transfer' OR 'Frozen Embryo Transfer' OR 'oocyte donation' OR 'egg donation' OR 'miscarriage' OR 'pregnancy outcome' OR 'endometrium'. OUTCOMES During the periconceptional period (defined here as the critical time window starting 1 month before conception), estrogens play a crucial role in endometrial receptivity, through the activation of paracrine/autocrine signaling. A derailed estrogenic milieu within this period seems to be detrimental both in natural and ART-conceived pregnancies. Low estrogen levels are associated with non-conception cycles in natural pregnancies. On the other hand, excessive supraphysiologic estrogen concentrations at time of the LH peak correlate with lower live birth rates and higher risks of pregnancy complications. In early pregnancy, estrogen plays a massive role in placentation mainly by modulating angiogenic factor expression-and in the development of an immune-tolerant uterine micro-environment by remodeling the function of uterine natural killer and T-helper cells. Lower estrogen levels are thought to trigger abnormal placentation in naturally conceived pregnancies, whereas an estrogen excess seems to worsen pregnancy development and outcomes. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Most current evidence available endorses a relation between periconceptional and first trimester estrogen levels and pregnancy outcomes, further depicting an optimal concentration range to optimize pregnancy success. However, how estrogens co-operate with other factors in order to maintain a fine balance between local tolerance towards the developing fetus and immune responses to pathogens remains elusive. Further studies are highly warranted, also aiming to identify the determinants of estrogen response and biomarkers for personalized estrogen administration regimens in ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Parisi
- Department of Woman, Mother and Neonate, 'V. Buzzi' Children Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, via L. Castelvetro 32, Milan, Italy
| | - C Fenizia
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, via F. Sforza 35, Milan 20122, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, "L.Sacco" Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, via G.B. Grassi 74, Milan 20157, Italy
| | - A Introini
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Nobels väg 5, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A Zavatta
- Department of Woman, Mother and Neonate, 'V. Buzzi' Children Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, via L. Castelvetro 32, Milan, Italy
| | - C Scaccabarozzi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, "L.Sacco" Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, via G.B. Grassi 74, Milan 20157, Italy
| | - M Biasin
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, "L.Sacco" Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, via G.B. Grassi 74, Milan 20157, Italy
| | - V Savasi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, "L.Sacco" Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, via G.B. Grassi 74, Milan 20157, Italy
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Mumusoglu S, Erden M, Ozbek IY, Ince O, Esteves SC, Humaidan P, Yarali H. The true natural cycle frozen embryo transfer - impact of patient and follicular phase characteristics on serum progesterone levels one day prior to warmed blastocyst transfer. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2023; 21:86. [PMID: 37723581 PMCID: PMC10506193 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-023-01136-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In a true-natural cycle (t-NC), optimal progesterone (P4) output from the corpus luteum is crucial for establishing and maintaining an intrauterine pregnancy. In a previous retrospective study, low P4 levels (< 10 ng/mL) measured one day before warmed blastocyst transfer in t-NC were associated with significantly lower live-birth rates. In the current study, we aim to examine the relationship between patient, follicular-phase endocrine and ultrasonographic characteristics, and serum P4 levels one day prior to warmed blastocyst transfer in t-NC. METHOD 178 consecutive women undergoing their first t-NC frozen embryo transfer (FET) between July 2017-August 2022 were included. Following serial ultrasonographic and endocrine monitoring, ovulation was documented by follicular collapse. Luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF) was diagnosed when there was no follicular collapse despite luteinizing-hormone surge (> 17 IU/L) and increased serum P4 (> 1.5 ng/mL). FET was scheduled on follicular collapse + 5 or LH surge + 6 in LUF cycles. Primary outcome was serum P4 on FET - 1. RESULTS Among the 178 patients, 86% (n = 153) experienced follicular collapse, while 14% (n = 25) had LUF. On FET-1, the median serum luteal P4 level was 12.9 ng/mL (IQR: 9.3-17.2), ranging from 1.8 to 34.4 ng/mL. Linear stepwise regression revealed a negative correlation between body mass index (BMI) and LUF, and a positive correlation between follicular phase peak-E2 and peak-P4 levels with P4 levels on FET-1. The ROC curve analyses to predict < 9.3 ng/mL (< 25th percentile) P4 levels on FET-1 day showed AUC of 0.70 (95%CI 0.61-0.79) for BMI (cut-off: 23.85 kg/m2), 0.71 (95%CI 0.61-0.80) for follicular phase peak-P4 levels (cut-off: 0.87 ng/mL), and 0.68 (95%CI 0.59-0.77) for follicular phase peak-E2 levels (cut-off: 290.5 pg/mL). Combining all four independent parameters yielded an AUC of 0.80 (95%CI 0.72-0.88). The adjusted-odds ratio for having < 9.3 ng/mL P4 levels on FET-1 day for patients with LUF compared to those with follicle collapse was 4.97 (95%CI 1.66-14.94). CONCLUSION The BMI, LUF, peak-E2, and peak-P4 levels are independent predictors of low serum P4 levels on FET-1 (< 25th percentile; <9.3 ng/ml) in t-NC FET cycles. Recognition of risk factors for low serum P4 on FET-1 may permit a personalized approach for LPS in t-NC FET to maximize reproductive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sezcan Mumusoglu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Murat Erden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Onur Ince
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kutahya Health Sciences University, Kutahya, Turkey
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Department of Statistics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sandro C Esteves
- Androfert, Andrology, and Human Reproduction Clinic, Referral Center for Male Reproduction, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peter Humaidan
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Fertility Clinic, Skive Regional Hospital, Resenvej 25, Skive, Denmark
| | - Hakan Yarali
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
- Anatolia IVF and Women Health Centre, Ankara, Turkey.
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Williams MN, Lee Apicella C. A test of multimodal communication in humans using 881 judgements of men and women's physical, vocal, and olfactory attractiveness. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16895. [PMID: 37342575 PMCID: PMC10277517 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Human mate value is assessed on numerous variables including, reproductive potential and disease resistance. Many of these variables have been correlated with judgments of physical, vocal, and odor attractiveness. While some researchers posit that attractiveness judgments made across different sensory modalities reflect the same underlying variable(s) (i.e., the information is redundant), others suggest that judgments made in different modalities reflect different variables. Previous studies of human attractiveness indicate that attractiveness judgments of others' faces, bodies, and voices are intercorrelated, which is suggested to support the redundancy hypothesis. Less is known about body odor attractiveness. Only one study has simultaneously investigated the relationships between judgments of body odor, face, and voice attractiveness finding weak positive associations, but small effect sizes. In this study, we empirically investigate the correlation between different modalities of attractiveness in men and women in the largest sample to date (N = 881 ratings). For men, we find no correlations between modalities of attractiveness. However, for women we find odor, face, and voice attractiveness are weakly correlated. Moreover, a general attractiveness factor (i.e., a common underlying variable) modestly contributed to the observed correlations between modality-specific attractiveness judgments, providing some evidence for the redundancy hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Nicole Williams
- University of Pennsylvania, Solomon Laboratories, 3720 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 09104, USA
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Coren Lee Apicella
- University of Pennsylvania, Solomon Laboratories, 3720 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 09104, USA
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Toxicological Effects of Technical Xylene Mixtures on the Female Reproductive System: A Systematic Review. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10050235. [PMID: 35622648 PMCID: PMC9144477 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10050235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Technical xylene is a compound of massive production that is used in applications such as petrochemical and healthcare laboratories. Exposure to xylene can cause acute and chronic effects in humans and animals. Currently available studies regarding xylene’s adverse effects with credible designs were dated almost twenty years ago. This systematic review summarizes the findings regarding the detrimental effects of technical xylene from human, animal, and in vitro studies. It recapitulated available studies with respect to the effects of xylene on the female reproductive system to stress the need for updating the current data and guidelines. Based on pre-specified criteria, 22 studies from journal databases exploring the toxic effects of xylene on menstruation, endocrine endpoints, fetal development, and reproductive functions were included for the review. It was found that related studies with a specific focus on the effects of technical xylene on the female reproductive system were insufficient. Therefore, further studies are necessary to update the existing data, thus improving the quality and reliability of risk assessment of exposure to xylene in pregnant women
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Li Z, Lei X, Yan X, Hu Z, Liu H. Attractiveness Evaluation and Identity of Self-face: The Effect of Sexual Dimorphism. Iperception 2021; 12:20416695211058799. [PMID: 34881018 PMCID: PMC8646797 DOI: 10.1177/20416695211058799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aims to explore the influence of masculine/feminine changes on the attractiveness evaluation of one's own face, and examine the relationship of this attractiveness evaluation and the similarities between masculine/feminine faces and original faces. A picture was taken from each participant and considered as his or her original self-face, and a male or female face with an average attractiveness score was adopted as the original other face. Masculinized and feminized transformations of the original faces (self-face, male other face, and female other face) into 100% masculine and feminine faces were produced with morphing software stepping by 2%. Thirty female participants and 30 male participants were asked to complete three tasks, i.e., to “like” or “not like” the original face judgment of a given face compared to the original face, to choose the most attractive face from a morphed facial clip, and to subjectively evaluate the attractiveness and similarity of morphed faces. The results revealed that the acceptable range of masculine/feminine transformation for self-faces was narrower than that for other faces. Furthermore, the attractiveness ratings for masculinized or femininized self-faces were correlated with the similarity scores of the faces with the original self-faces. These findings suggested that attractiveness enhancement of self-face through masculinity/femininity must be within reasonable extent and take into account the similarity between the modified faces and the original self-face.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyi Li
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofang Lei
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xinze Yan
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zhiguo Hu
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, P. R. China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Hongyan Liu
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, P. R. China
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Chaney C, Begum K, Núñez-de la Mora A, Sievert LL, Muttukrishna S, Harries V, Sharmeen T, Murphy L, Gunu R, Chowdhury O, Bentley GR. No impact of developmental conditions on serum estradiol levels among Bangladeshi women in the UK and Bangladesh. Am J Hum Biol 2021; 34:e23631. [PMID: 34174012 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION While many aspects of female ovarian function respond to environmental stressors, estradiol (E2) appears less sensitive to stressors than progesterone, except under extreme ecological conditions. However, earlier studies relied on saliva samples, considered less sensitive than blood. Here, we investigated E2 variation among 177 Bangladeshi and UK white women, aged 35-59, using single serum samples. Bangladeshi women either grew up in Sylhet, Bangladesh (exposed to poor sanitation, limited health care, and higher pathogen loads but not poor energy availability), or in the UK. METHODS We collected samples on days 4-6 of the menstrual cycle in menstruating women and on any day for post-menopausal women. Participants included: (i) Bangladeshi sedentees (n = 36), (ii) Bangladeshis who migrated to the UK as adults (n = 52), (iii) Bangladeshis who migrated as children (n = 40), and (iv) UK white women matched for neighborhood residence to the migrants (n = 49). Serum was obtained by venipuncture and analyzed using electrochemiluminescence. We collected anthropometrics and supplementary sociodemographic and reproductive data through questionnaires. We analyzed the data using multivariate regression. RESULTS E2 levels did not differ between migrant groups after controlling for age, BMI, physical activity, psychosocial stress, parity, and time since last birth (parous women). Paralleling results from salivary E2, serum E2 did not differ among women who experienced varying developmental conditions. CONCLUSION Our results reinforce the hypothesis that E2 levels are stable under challenging environmental conditions. Interpopulation variation may only arise under chronic conditions of extreme nutritional scarcity, energy expenditure, and/or high disease burdens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlye Chaney
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | | | - Lynnette L Sievert
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shanthi Muttukrishna
- Anu Research Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland
| | - Victoria Harries
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Taniya Sharmeen
- Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Lorna Murphy
- School of Public Health, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Richard Gunu
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Osul Chowdhury
- Department of Microbiology, Parkview Medical College, Sylhet, Bangladesh
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Dinh T, Gangestad SW, Thompson ME, Tomiyama AJ, Fessler DMT, Robertson TE, Haselton MG. Endocrinological effects of social exclusion and inclusion: Experimental evidence for adaptive regulation of female fecundity. Horm Behav 2021; 130:104934. [PMID: 33476675 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
When current conditions are probabilistically less suitable for successful reproduction than future conditions, females may prevent or delay reproduction until conditions improve. Throughout human evolution, social support was likely crucial to female reproductive success. Women may thus have evolved fertility regulation systems sensitive to cues from the social environment. However, current understanding of how psychological phenomena might affect female ovarian function is limited. In this study, we examined whether cues of reduced social support-social ostracism-impact women's hormone production. Following an in-lab group bonding task, women were randomly assigned to a social exclusion (n = 88) or social inclusion (n = 81) condition. After social exclusion, women with low background levels of social support experienced a decrease in estradiol relative to progesterone. In contrast, socially-included women with low background social support experienced an increase in estradiol relative to progesterone. Hormonal changes in both conditions occurred specifically when women were in their mid-to-late follicular phase, when baseline estradiol is high and progesterone is low. Follow-up analyses revealed that these changes were primarily driven by changes in progesterone, consistent with existing evidence for disruption of ovarian function following adrenal release of follicular-phase progesterone. Results offer support for a potential mechanism by which fecundity could respond adaptively to the loss or lack of social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tran Dinh
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Steven W Gangestad
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - A Janet Tomiyama
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Bedari Kindness Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Daniel M T Fessler
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Bedari Kindness Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Behavior, Evolution, & Culture, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Martie G Haselton
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Communication, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Rosen Vollmar AK, Johnson CH, Weinberg CR, Deziel NC, Baird DD, Wilcox AJ, Jukic AMZ. Accounting for urinary dilution in peri-implantation samples: implications for creatinine adjustment and specimen pooling. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2021; 31:356-365. [PMID: 32424331 PMCID: PMC7671945 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-020-0227-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
This study examines critical issues in accounting for urinary dilution in peri-implantation samples used to assess environmental exposures. Early pregnancy could impact creatinine excretion, which could bias biomarker measurement and interpretation when creatinine adjustment is used. We compared creatinine levels pre-implantation with levels soon after implantation at 3-6 weeks gestation. Using data and urine specimens from 145 women who conceived, we used linear mixed models to estimate the effect of pregnancy on creatinine concentrations. We also studied whether creatinine adjustment is biased when using pooled, within-person samples rather than averaging individually-adjusted results. For this, we grouped 2655 daily urinary estrogen metabolite and associated creatinine measures into 762 mathematically-constructed sample pools, and compared averaged individual measures with pooled measures using weighted kappa coefficients and t-tests. Urinary creatinine concentration declined an average of 14% (95% CI: -19, -11%) from pre- to post-implantation. While there was strong correlation between results based on the two creatinine adjustment methods, adjustment based on pooled specimens introduced a small 3% (95% CI: 2, 4%) underestimation of the analyte compared with averaging individually-adjusted samples. Postimplantation creatinine declines could introduce errors in biomonitoring results when comparing exposure measures from pre- and post-implantation. Though pooled creatinine adjustment underestimated adjusted analyte concentrations, the bias was small and agreement excellent between pooled and averaged individually-adjusted assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana K Rosen Vollmar
- Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Caroline H Johnson
- Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Clarice R Weinberg
- Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nicole C Deziel
- Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Donna D Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Allen J Wilcox
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Anne Marie Z Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
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Nepomnaschy PA, Rowlands A, Prescivalli Costa AP, Salvante KG. Socio-Ecological Challenges as Modulators of Women's Reproductive Trajectories. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANTHROPOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anthro-102317-045930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Amenorrhea, anovulatory cycles, miscarriages, and other reproductive outcomes are often seen as pathological. Life history theory, in contrast, treats those outcomes as adaptations that helped women optimize the timing of reproductive ventures across our evolutionary history. Women's bodies adjust their reproductive strategies in response to socio-ecological conditions, a process mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA). Here, we review the links between socio-ecological conditions, HPAA activity, and the pace of women's reproductive transitions such as puberty, age at first birth, interbirth interval, and perimenopause. We also discuss the HPAA's role as a modulator of reproductive function: It not only suppresses it but may also prime women's bodies for future reproductive ventures. We conclude by reviewing challenges and opportunities within our subfield, including the need for transdisciplinary teams to develop longitudinal studies to improve our understanding of women's reproductive trajectories and outcomes from the moment they are conceived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo A. Nepomnaschy
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
| | - Amanda Rowlands
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
| | - Ana Paula Prescivalli Costa
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
| | - Katrina G. Salvante
- Maternal and Child Health Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences; and Crawford Laboratory of Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada;, , ,
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11
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Vitzthum VJ. Field methods and strategies for assessing female reproductive functioning. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33:e23513. [PMID: 33022128 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A detailed understanding of female reproductive functioning is important to many disciplines including anthropology, evolutionary theory, demography, psychology, and biomedicine. In this article, I describe strategies and methods that have been used successfully in community-based studies of human reproduction, many in remote locales, to produce high quality biomarker data. These techniques are applicable to a wide range of research questions and populations, and to persons from adolescence through senescence. I give particular attention to the inherent challenges imposed by the cyclical and somewhat unpredictable nature of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis including the necessity and difficulty of ascertaining the timing and occurrence of ovulation, the limits of different sampling regimes for capturing fluctuations in reproductive hormones, and the critical importance of recognizing and, when possible, reducing selection bias. I discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of collecting saliva, urine, and dried blood spots, and describe some of the subtleties involved in collecting contamination-free samples. Once samples are collected, they must be stored in a manner that minimizes degradation; I describe techniques to keep samples cold even without access to electricity or dry ice. I also discuss various issues that should be considered during initial discussions with a laboratory and when samples are assayed by the laboratory. I include examples of techniques that have worked well in actual field studies, and examples of flawed analytical approaches that should be avoided. With these and other tools, even under technology-sparse conditions, researchers can investigate variability in human physiology across the breadth of human habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia J Vitzthum
- Evolutionary Anthropology Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Brominated flame retardants, including polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), are persistent compounds reported to affect sex hormones in animals; less is known about potential effects in humans. An industrial accident in 1973-1974 exposed Michigan residents to PBB through contaminated food. We examined whether this exposure to PBB had long-term effects on menstrual cycle function. METHODS In 2004-2006, we recruited reproductive-aged women in the Michigan PBB Registry who were not pregnant, lactating, or taking hormonal medications. Participants kept daily diaries and provided daily urine samples for up to 6 months. We assayed the urine samples for estrone 3-glucuronide (E13G), pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (Pd3G), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). We fit linear mixed models among women aged 35-42 years to describe the relation between serum PBB levels and log-transformed, creatinine-adjusted daily endocrine levels among women who were premenarchal during the exposure incident in 1973-1974 (n = 70). RESULTS We observed that high (>3.0 parts per billion [ppb]) and medium (>1.0-3.0 ppb) PBB exposure were associated with lower E13G levels across the menstrual cycle and lower FSH levels during the follicular phase, compared with low PBB exposure (≤1.0 ppb). High PBB exposure was also associated with lower Pd3G levels across the cycle compared with low PBB exposure, whereas Pd3G levels were similar in women with medium and low PBB exposure. CONCLUSION Our results are consistent with a hypothesized effect of exposure to an exogenous estrogen agonist but the modest sample size of the study requires cautious interpretation.
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Pathophysiological Basis of Endometriosis-Linked Stress Associated with Pain and Infertility: A Conceptual Review. REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/reprodmed1010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Women with endometriosis are often under stress due to the associated pain, infertility, inflammation-related and other comorbidities including cancer. Additionally, these women are also under stress due to taboos, myths, inter-personal troubles surrounding infertility and pain of the disease as well as due to frequent incidences of missed diagnosis and treatment recurrence. Often these women suffer from frustration and loss of valuable time in the prime phase of life. All these complexities integral to endometriosis posit a hyperstructure of integrative stress physiology with overt differentials in effective allostatic state in women with disease compared with disease-free women. In the present review, we aim to critically examine various aspects of pathophysiological basis of stress surrounding endometriosis with special emphasis on pain and subfertility that are known to affect the overall health and quality of life of women with the disease and promising pathophysiological basis for its effective management.
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Tang D, Bao J, Bai G, Hao M, Jin R, Liu F. The AGT Haplotype of the ESR2 Gene Containing the Polymorphisms rs2077647A, rs4986938G, and rs1256049T Increases the Susceptibility of Unexplained Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion in Women in the Chinese Hui Population. Med Sci Monit 2020; 26:e921102. [PMID: 32359133 PMCID: PMC7212806 DOI: 10.12659/msm.921102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Estrogen has an important role in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). Polymorphisms of the ESR1 gene and the ESR2 gene have been identified as risk factors for URSA, but with varied associations in Chinese populations. This study aimed to compare the role of gene polymorphisms of ESR1 and ESR2 and the risk of URSA in the Chinese Hui and Chinese Han populations. Material/Methods Chinese Hui women (n=171) and Chinese Han women (n=234) with URSA were compared with healthy controls (n=417) matched by ethnicity and age. Genotyping was performed using direct sequencing and identified three polymorphisms of the ESR1 gene (rs9340799, rs2234693, and rs3798759) and three polymorphisms of the ESR2 gene (rs207764, rs4986938, and rs1256049). The association between ESR1 and ESR2 gene polymorphisms and the risk of URSA was evaluated statistically using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results No association was detected between the allelic, dominant, and recessive models of ESR1 and ESR2 gene polymorphisms and the risk of URSA in Chinese Han and Hui populations (p>0.05). The distribution of the AGT haplotype containing ESR2 gene polymorphisms rs2077647A, rs4986938G, and rs1256049T was significantly reduced in patients with URSA compared with controls in the Chinese Hui population (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.14–0.62; p=0.0009; padj=0.005). Conclusions The AGT haplotype of the ESR2 gene containing the polymorphism rs2077647A, rs4986938G, and rs1256049T (ESR2 hapAGT) was a protective factor for URSA in women in the Chinese Hui population when compared with the Chinese Han population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Tang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Yinchuan Women and Children Health Care Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China (mainland)
| | - Junhua Bao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Yinchuan Women and Children Health Care Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China (mainland)
| | - Gang Bai
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Yinchuan Women and Children Health Care Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China (mainland)
| | - Miaomiao Hao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Yinchuan Women and Children Health Care Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China (mainland)
| | - Rui Jin
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Yinchuan Women and Children Health Care Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China (mainland)
| | - Fang Liu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Yinchuan Women and Children Health Care Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China (mainland)
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Jacobson MH, Howards PP, Kesner JS, Meadows JW, Dominguez CE, Spencer JB, Darrow LA, Terrell ML, Marcus M. Hormonal Profiles of Menstrual Bleeding Patterns During the Luteal-Follicular Transition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020; 105:5770955. [PMID: 32115635 PMCID: PMC7096314 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Menstrual cycle function is determined by a complex endocrine axis that controls the ovaries and endometrium. While the late luteal phase is characterized by declining progesterone and estrogen, how these hormonal profiles relate to menstrual bleeding patterns is not well understood. OBJECTIVE Characterize associations between luteal phase hormonal profiles and subsequent menstrual bleeding patterns, specifically spotting before bleeding. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We examined creatinine-adjusted urinary estrone 3-glucuronide (E13G) and pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (Pd3G) levels in relation to spotting in 116 premenopausal women (ages 20-47) who kept daily menstrual diaries and collected first morning urine samples for ≥ 2 consecutive cycles or 1 luteal-follicular transition (n = 283 transitions). We used linear mixed models to estimate associations between luteal phase hormone levels and spotting before bleeding. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) AND RESULTS Transitions with ≥ 1 days of spotting before menstrual bleeding (n = 118) had greater luteal phase Pd3G levels vs nonspotting transitions (n = 165). Differences in Pd3G between spotting and nonspotting transitions were largest at menses onset (34.8%, 95% confidence interval, 18.9%, 52.7%). Pd3G levels for spotting transitions dropped to similar levels as nonspotting transitions an average of 1 day later, which aligned with the first day of bleeding for transitions with contiguous spotting. Spotting transitions were preceded by slower rates of Pd3G decline than nonspotting transitions, whereas E13G declines were similar. CONCLUSIONS Self-reported bleeding patterns may provide insight into luteal phase Pd3G levels. First bleed appears to be the best choice for defining the end of the luteal phase and achieving hormonal consistency across transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie H Jacobson
- New York University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Environmental Pediatrics, New York, New York
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Atlanta, Georgia
- Correspondence and Reprint Requests: Melanie Jacobson, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Environmental Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, 462 1st Avenue, Building A, 8th Floor, Room 850, New York, NY 10016.
| | - Penelope P Howards
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - James S Kesner
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio, retired
| | - Juliana W Meadows
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Celia E Dominguez
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii
| | - Jessica B Spencer
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lyndsey A Darrow
- School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, Nevada
| | - Metrecia L Terrell
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Michele Marcus
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Atlanta, Georgia
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Romantic Love and Reproductive Hormones in Women. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16214224. [PMID: 31683520 PMCID: PMC6861983 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Increased reproductive success is among the most commonly proposed adaptive functions of romantic love. Here, we tested if hormonal changes associated with falling in love may co-vary with hormonal profiles that predict increased fecundity in women. We compared blood serum levels of estradiol (E2, E2/T), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), free testosterone (fT), and cortisol (CT), measured in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle in single women (N = 69) and in women at the beginning of a romantic heterosexual relationship who reported being in love with their partner (N = 47). Participants were healthy, regularly cycling women aged 24 to 33 who did not use hormonal contraception. We found that women in love had higher levels of gonadotropins (FSH, LH) and lower testosterone levels compared to single women who were not in love. These groups of women did not, however, differ in terms of estradiol, prolactin, or cortisol levels.
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Carrito ML, Bem-Haja P, Silva CF, Perrett DI, Santos IM. Event-related potentials modulated by the perception of sexual dimorphism: The influence of attractiveness and sex of faces. Biol Psychol 2018; 137:1-11. [PMID: 29913202 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism has been proposed as one of the facial traits to have evolved through sexual selection and to affect attractiveness perception. Even with numerous studies documenting its effect on attractiveness and mate choice, the neurophysiological correlates of the perception of sexual dimorphism are not yet fully understood. In the present study, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during visualisation of faces that had been previously transformed in shape to appear more masculine or more feminine. The participants' task consisted of judging the attractiveness of half of the total number of faces, and performing a sex discrimination task on the other half. Both early and late potentials were modulated by the sex of faces, whereas the effect of the sexually dimorphic transform was mainly visible in the P2 (positive deflection around 200 ms after stimulus onset), EPN (early posterior negativity) and LPP (late positive potential) components. There was an effect of sexual dimorphism on P2 and EPN amplitudes when female participants visualised male faces, which may indicate that masculinity is particularly attended to when viewing opposite sex members. Also, ERP results seem to support the idea of sex differences in social categorisation decisions regarding faces, although differences were not evident on behavioural results. In general, these findings contribute to a better understanding of how humans perceive sexually dimorphic characteristics in other individuals' faces and how they affect attractiveness judgements.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Carrito
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; ISPA - Instituto Universitário, William James Center for Research, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal; Centre for Psychology at University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - P Bem-Haja
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - C F Silva
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - D I Perrett
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JP, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - I M Santos
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
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Stephen ID, Salter DLH, Tan KW, Tan CBY, Stevenson RJ. Sexual dimorphism and attractiveness in Asian and White faces. VISUAL COGNITION 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/13506285.2018.1475437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ian D. Stephen
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- Perception in Action Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Kok Wei Tan
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading Malaysia, Iskandar Puteri, Malaysia
| | - Chrystalle B. Y. Tan
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
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Gesquiere LR, Altmann J, Archie EA, Alberts SC. Interbirth intervals in wild baboons: Environmental predictors and hormonal correlates. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:107-126. [PMID: 29417990 PMCID: PMC5910269 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Interbirth intervals (IBIs) are a key metric of female reproductive success; understanding how they are regulated by environmental, social, and demographic factors can provide insight into sources of variance in female fitness. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using 36 years of reproductive data on 490 IBIs for 160 wild female baboons, we identified sources of variance in the duration of IBIs and of their component phases: postpartum amenorrhea (PPA), sexual cycling, and pregnancy. We also examined how body fat and fecal hormone concentrations varied during female IBIs. RESULTS We found that IBIs tended to be shorter (reproduction was accelerated) when female traits and environmental variables promoted energy acquisition, but with different specific effects for different component phases of the IBI. We also found that females lost a substantial amount of body fat during PPA, indicating that PPA imposes accumulating energetic costs as it progresses. Prior to cycle resumption females began to regain body fat; body fat was stable across the cycling phase and increased throughout most of pregnancy. However, body fat scores per se were not associated with the duration of any of the component phases. Finally, we found that fecal glucocorticoid concentrations decreased as PPA progressed, suggesting a decline in energetic stress over this phase. Fecal progestogen and estrogen concentrations changed over time during sexual cycling; the direction of these changes depended on the phase of the sexual cycle (luteal versus early or late follicular phases). DISCUSSION Our study lends insight into the energetic constraints on female primate reproduction, revealing how female environments, changes in body fat, and steroid hormone concentrations relate to IBI duration and to reproductive readiness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeanne Altmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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Jacobson MH, Howards PP, Darrow LA, Meadows JW, Kesner JS, Spencer JB, Terrell ML, Marcus M. Thyroid hormones and menstrual cycle function in a longitudinal cohort of premenopausal women. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2018; 32. [PMID: 29517803 PMCID: PMC5980701 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have reported that hyperthyroid and hypothyroid women experience menstrual irregularities more often compared with euthyroid women, but reasons for this are not well-understood and studies on thyroid hormones among euthyroid women are lacking. In a prospective cohort study of euthyroid women, this study characterised the relationship between thyroid hormone concentrations and prospectively collected menstrual function outcomes. METHODS Between 2004-2014, 86 euthyroid premenopausal women not lactating or taking hormonal medications participated in a study measuring menstrual function. Serum thyroid hormones were measured before the menstrual function study began. Women then collected first morning urine voids and completed daily bleeding diaries every day for three cycles. Urinary oestrogen and progesterone metabolites (estrone 3-glucuronide (E1 3G) and pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (Pd3G)) and follicle-stimulating hormone were measured and adjusted for creatinine (Cr). RESULTS Total thyroxine (T4 ) concentrations were positively associated with Pd3G and E1 3G. Women with higher (vs lower) T4 had greater luteal phase maximum Pd3G (Pd3G = 11.7 μg/mg Cr for women with high T4 vs Pd3G = 9.5 and 8.1 μg/mg Cr for women with medium and low T4 , respectively) and greater follicular phase maximum E1 3G (E1 3G = 41.7 ng/mg Cr for women with high T4 vs E1 3G = 34.3 and 33.7 ng/mg Cr for women with medium and low T4 , respectively). CONCLUSIONS Circulating thyroid hormone concentrations were associated with subtle differences in menstrual cycle function outcomes, particularly sex steroid hormone levels in healthy women. Results contribute to the understanding of the relationship between thyroid function and the menstrual cycle, and may have implications for fertility and chronic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie H. Jacobson
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Penelope P. Howards
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lyndsey A. Darrow
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA,Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA,School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Juliana W. Meadows
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - James S. Kesner
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | | | - Metrecia L. Terrell
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michele Marcus
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA,Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Luderer U, Christensen F, Johnson WO, She J, Ip HSS, Zhou J, Alvaran J, Krieg EF, Kesner JS. Associations between urinary biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and reproductive function during menstrual cycles in women. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2017; 100:110-120. [PMID: 28065424 PMCID: PMC5291797 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Essentially all women are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), formed during incomplete combustion of organic materials, including fossil fuels, wood, foods, and tobacco. PAHs are ovarian toxicants in rodents, and cigarette smoking is associated with reproductive abnormalities in women. Biomonitoring of hydroxylated PAH (OH-PAH) metabolites in urine provides an integrated measure of exposure to PAHs via multiple routes and has been used to characterize exposure to PAHs in humans. We hypothesized that concentrations of OH-PAHs in urine are associated with reproductive function in women. We recruited women 18-44years old, living in Orange County, California to conduct daily measurement of urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) and estrone 3-glucuronide (E13G) using a microelectronic fertility monitor for multiple menstrual cycles; these data were used to calculate endocrine endpoints. Participants also collected urine samples on cycle day 10 for measurement of nine OH-PAHs. Models were constructed for eight endpoints using a Bayesian mixed modeling approach with subject-specific random effects allowing each participant to act as a baseline for her set of measurements. We observed associations between individual OH-PAH concentrations and follicular phase length, follicular phase LH and E13G concentrations, preovulatory LH surge concentrations, and periovulatory E13G slope and concentration. We have demonstrated the feasibility of using urinary reproductive hormone data obtained via fertility monitors to calculate endocrine endpoints for epidemiological studies of ovarian function during multiple menstrual cycles. The results show that environmental exposure to PAHs is associated with changes in endocrine markers of ovarian function in women in a PAH-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Luderer
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health and Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, 100 Theory, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92617, USA; Dept of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Program in Public Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Fletcher Christensen
- Department of Statistics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Wesley O Johnson
- Department of Statistics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Jianwen She
- Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA.
| | - Ho Sai Simon Ip
- Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | - Junqiang Zhou
- Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | - Josephine Alvaran
- Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | - Edward F Krieg
- Division of Applied Research and Technology, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, US Department of Health and Human Services, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA.
| | - James S Kesner
- Division of Applied Research and Technology, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, US Department of Health and Human Services, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA.
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chen J, Qiu Q, Lohstroh PN, Overstreet JW, Lasley BL. Hormonal Characteristics in the Early Luteal Phase of Conceptive and Nonconceptive Menstrual Cycles. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/107155760301000106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - James W. Overstreet
- Center for Health and the Environment, University of California, Davis, Davis, California; Division of Maternal-Fetal medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa/The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bill L. Lasley
- Center for Health and the Environment, University of California, Davis, Davis, California; Division of Maternal-Fetal medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa/The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Center for Health and the Environment, University of California at Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-8739
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Baird DD, Kesner JS, Dunson DB. Luteinizing Hormone in Premenopausal Women May Stimulate Uterine Leiomyomata Development. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 13:130-5. [PMID: 16443507 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsgi.2005.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has proliferative effects on uterine smooth muscle and leiomyoma tissue in vitro. We hypothesized that luteinizing hormone (LH) would have the same effect by activating the LH/hCG receptor, and it would follow that premenopausal women with higher basal LH levels would be more likely to have leiomyomata. METHODS Randomly selected women, aged 35 to 49 years, from a prepaid health plan were screened for leiomyomata with pelvic ultrasound. Urine samples collected during the first or last 5 days of the menstrual cycle were analyzed for LH by immunofluorometric assay, and concentrations were corrected for creatinine (n = 523). Logistic regression and Bayes analyses were used to evaluate the association of LH with presence and size of leiomyomata, adjusting for age, and other risk factors. RESULTS Women with higher LH were more likely to have leiomyomata (adjusted odds ratios for second and third tertiles were 1.7 and 2.0 compared with lower tertile; 95% confidence intervals, 1.0 to 2.7 and 1.2 to 3.4, respectively). The association was stronger for large leiomyomata. Bayes analyses designed to estimate LH effects on tumor onset separately from tumor growth showed significantly accelerated tumor onset but little evidence of effects on tumor growth. Age, an independent risk factor for leiomyomata, was not affected by inclusion of LH in the logistic models. CONCLUSIONS As hypothesized, women with higher LH were more likely to have leiomyomata, but this did not explain the age-related increase in leiomyomata during perimenopausal ages. Determining whether LH is causal or a marker for susceptibility will require further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna D Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.
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Maternal Pre-pregnancy BMI and Reproductive Health of Daughters in Young Adulthood. Matern Child Health J 2016; 20:2150-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s10995-016-2062-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Wainman BC, Kesner JS, Martin ID, Meadows JW, Krieg EF, Nieboer E, Tsuji LJ. Menstrual cycle perturbation by organohalogens and elements in the Cree of James Bay, Canada. CHEMOSPHERE 2016; 149:190-201. [PMID: 26855224 PMCID: PMC4827016 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.12.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organohalogens (POHs) and metals have been linked to alterations in menstrual cycle function and fertility in humans. The Cree First Nations people living near James Bay in Ontario and Quebec, Canada, have elevated levels of POHs, mercury and lead compared to other Canadians. The present study examines the interrelationships between selected POHs and elements on menstrual cycle function in these Cree women. Menstrual cycle characteristics were derived from structured daily diaries and endocrine measurements from daily urine samples collected during one cycle for 42 women age 19-42. We measured 31 POHs in blood plasma and 18 elements in whole blood, for 31 of the participants. POHs and elements detected in ≥ 70% of the participants were transformed by principal component (PC) analysis to reduce the contaminant exposure data to fewer, uncorrelated PCA variables. Multiple regression analysis revealed that, after adjusting for confounders, PC-3 values showed significant negative association with cycle length, after adjusting for confounders (p = 0.002). PC-3 accounted for 9.2% of the variance and shows positive loadings for cadmium, selenium, and PBDE congeners 47 and 153, and a negative loading for copper. Sensitivity analysis of the model to quantify likely effect sizes showed a range of menstrual cycle length from 25.3 to 28.3 days using the lower and upper 95% confidence limits of mean measured contaminant concentrations to predict cycle length. Our observations support the hypothesis that the menstrual cycle function of these women may be altered by exposure to POHs and elements from their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce C Wainman
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4K1.
| | - James S Kesner
- Division of Applied Research and Technology, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, 45226, USA
| | - Ian D Martin
- Ian Martin Consultants, Elora, ON, Canada N0B 1S0
| | - Juliana W Meadows
- Division of Applied Research and Technology, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, 45226, USA
| | - Edward F Krieg
- Division of Applied Research and Technology, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, 45226, USA
| | - Evert Nieboer
- Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4K1; Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway
| | - Leonard J Tsuji
- Health Studies, The Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada M1C 1A4
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Jukic AM, Calafat AM, McConnaughey DR, Longnecker MP, Hoppin JA, Weinberg CR, Wilcox AJ, Baird DD, Calafat AM, McConnaughey DR, Longnecker MP, Hoppin JA, Weinberg CR, Wilcox AJ, Baird DD. Urinary Concentrations of Phthalate Metabolites and Bisphenol A and Associations with Follicular-Phase Length, Luteal-Phase Length, Fecundability, and Early Pregnancy Loss. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2016; 124:321-8. [PMID: 26161573 PMCID: PMC4786975 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1408164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Certain phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) show reproductive effects in animal studies and potentially affect human ovulation, conception, and pregnancy loss. OBJECTIVES We investigated these chemicals in relation to follicular- and luteal-phase lengths, time to pregnancy, and early pregnancy loss (within 6 weeks of the last menstrual period) among women attempting pregnancy. METHODS Women discontinuing contraception provided daily first-morning urine specimens and recorded days with vaginal bleeding for up to 6 months. Specimens had previously been analyzed for estrogen and progesterone metabolites and human chorionic gonadotropin. A total of 221 participants contributed 706 menstrual cycles. We measured 11 phthalate metabolites and BPA in pooled urine from three specimens spaced throughout each menstrual cycle. We analyzed associations between chemical concentrations and outcomes using linear mixed models for follicular- and luteal-phase lengths, discrete-time fecundability models for time to pregnancy, and logistic regression for early pregnancy loss. RESULTS Higher concentrations of monocarboxyoctyl phthalate (MCOP) were associated with shorter luteal phase [2nd tertile vs. 1st tertile: -0.5 days (95% CI: -0.9, -0.1), 3rd vs. 1st: -0.4 days (95% CI: -0.8, 0.01), p = 0.04]. BPA was also associated with shorter luteal phase [2nd vs. 1st: -0.8 days (95% CI: -1.2, -0.4), 3rd vs. 1st: -0.4 days (95% CI: -0.8, 0.02), p = 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS BPA and MCOP (or its precursors) were associated with shorter luteal phase. Menstrual cycle-specific estimates of urinary BPA and phthalate metabolites were not associated with detrimental alterations in follicular-phase length, time to pregnancy, or early pregnancy loss, and in fact, DEHP [di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate] metabolites {MEOHP [mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate] and ΣDEHP} were associated with reduced early loss. These findings should be confirmed in future human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marie Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Address correspondence to A.M. Jukic, Epidemiology Branch, NIEHS, P.O. BOX 12233, Durham, NC 27709 USA. Telephone: (919) 541-2992. E-mail:
| | - Antonia M. Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Matthew P. Longnecker
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jane A. Hoppin
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Allen J. Wilcox
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Donna D. Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Antonia M. Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Matthew P. Longnecker
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jane A. Hoppin
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Allen J. Wilcox
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Donna D. Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Habumuremyi S, Stephens C, Fawcett KA, Deschner T, Robbins MM. Endocrine assessment of ovarian cycle activity in wild female mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). Physiol Behav 2016; 157:185-95. [PMID: 26875514 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Variability of fertility (i.e. number of births per female per year) has been reported in females of many primate species but only a few studies have explored the associated physiological and behavioral patterns. To investigate the proximate mechanisms of variability in fertility of wild female mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), we quantified the occurrence of ovulation, matings, and successful pregnancies among females. We examined the profiles of immunoreactive pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (iPdG) for sixteen females (seven nulliparous and nine parous females, including one geriatric female; average sampling period for fecal sample collection and behavioral observations per female=175 days; SD=94 days, range=66-358 days) monitored by the staff of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund's Karisoke Research Center in Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda. We quantified ovarian cycles from iPdG profiles using an algorithm that we developed by adjusting the method of Kassam et al. (1996) to the characteristics of ovarian cycle profiles based on fecal hormone measurements. The mean length of ovarian cycles was 29±4 days (median: 28 days, N=13 cycles), similar to ovarian cycle lengths of other great apes and humans. As expected, we found that female mountain gorillas exhibit longer follicular phases (mean±SD: 21±3 days, N=13 cycles) than luteal phases (mean±SD: 8±3 days, N=13 cycles). We also found that the frequency of ovarian cycles was greater in parous females (i.e. 20 ovarian cycles across 44 periods of 28 days; 45.5%) than in nulliparous females (i.e. two ovarian cycles across 34 periods of 28 days; 6%). However, the frequency of days on which matings were observed did not differ significantly between parous and nulliparous females, nor between pregnant and non-pregnant females. Five pregnancies were detected with iPdG levels, but only three resulted in live births, indicating miscarriages of the other two. In sum, this study provides information on the underlying endocrine patterns of variation in fertility depending on parity, mating behavior, and pregnancy success in a critically endangered great ape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sosthene Habumuremyi
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany; Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, 800 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315-1440, USA; Institut d'Enseignement Supérieur de Ruhengeri (INES-Ruhengeri), Musanze, North Province, Rwanda.
| | - Colleen Stephens
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katie A Fawcett
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, 800 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315-1440, USA
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martha M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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Perceived stress, reproductive hormones, and ovulatory function: a prospective cohort study. Epidemiology 2015; 26:177-84. [PMID: 25643098 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000000238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress has been shown to suppress ovulation in experimental models, but its effect on human reproduction at the population level is unclear. METHODS Healthy women (n = 259), aged 18-44 years from Western New York, were followed for 2 menstrual cycles (2005-2007). Women completed daily perceived stress assessments, a 4-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4) up to 4 times each cycle, and a 14-item PSS at baseline. Mixed model analyses were used to assess effects of stress on log reproductive hormone concentrations and sporadic anovulation. RESULTS High versus low daily stress was associated with lower estradiol (-9.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = -15.6% to -3.0%]), free estradiol (-10.4% [-16.5% to -3.9%]), and luteinizing hormone (-14.8% [-21.3% to -7.7%]) and higher follicle-stimulating hormone (6.2% [95% CI = 2.0% to 10.5%]) after adjusting for age, race, percent body fat, depression score, and time-varying hormones and vigorous exercise. High versus low daily stress was also associated with lower luteal progesterone (-10.4% [95% CI = -19.7% to -0.10%]) and higher odds of anovulation (adjusted odds ratio = 2.2 [95% CI = 1.0 to 4.7]). For each unit increase in daily stress level, women had a 70% higher odds of an anovulatory episode (odds ratio = 1.7 [1.1 to 2.4]). Similar but attenuated results were found for the association between the PSS-4 and reproductive hormones, while null findings were found for the baseline PSS. CONCLUSION Daily perceived stress does appear to interfere with menstrual cycle function among women with no known reproductive disorders, warranting further research to explore potential population-level impacts and causal biologic mechanisms.
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Jukic AM, Baird DD, Weinberg CR, McConnaughey DR, Wilcox AJ. Length of human pregnancy and contributors to its natural variation. Hum Reprod 2013; 28:2848-55. [PMID: 23922246 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/det297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION How variable is the length of human pregnancy, and are early hormonal events related to gestational length? SUMMARY ANSWER Among natural conceptions where the date of conception (ovulation) is known, the variation in pregnancy length spanned 37 days, even after excluding women with complications or preterm births. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Previous studies of length of gestation have either estimated gestational age by last menstrual period (LMP) or ultrasound (both imperfect measures) or included pregnancies conceived through assisted reproductive technology. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The Early Pregnancy Study was a prospective cohort study (1982-85) that followed 130 singleton pregnancies from unassisted conception to birth, with detailed hormonal measurements through the conception cycle; 125 of these pregnancies were included in this analysis. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS We calculated the length of gestation beginning at conception (ovulation) in 125 naturally conceived, singleton live births. Ovulation, implantation and corpus luteum (CL) rescue pattern were identified with urinary hormone measurements. We accounted for events that artificially shorten the natural length of gestation (Cesarean delivery or labor induction, i.e. 'censoring') using Kaplan-Meier curves and proportional hazards models. We examined hormonal and other factors in relation to length of gestation. We did not have ultrasound information to compare with our gold standard measure. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The median time from ovulation to birth was 268 days (38 weeks, 2 days). Even after excluding six preterm births, the gestational length range was 37 days. The coefficient of variation was higher when measured by LMP (4.9%) than by ovulation (3.7%), reflecting the variability of time of ovulation. Conceptions that took longer to implant also took longer from implantation to delivery (P = 0.02). CL rescue pattern (reflecting ovarian response to implantation) was predictive (P = 0.006): pregnancies with a rapid progesterone rise were longer than those with delayed rise (a 12-day difference in the median gestational length). Mothers with longer gestations were older (P = 0.02), had longer pregnancies in other births (P < 0.0001) and were heavier at birth (P = 0.01). We did not see an association between the length of gestation and several factors that have been associated with gestational length in previous studies: body mass index, alcohol intake, parity or offspring sex. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The sample size was small and some exposures were rare, reducing power to detect weak associations. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Human gestational length varies considerably even when measured exactly (from ovulation). An individual woman's deliveries tend to occur at similar gestational ages. Events in the first 2 weeks after conception are predictive of subsequent pregnancy length, and may suggest pathways underlying the timing of delivery. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. None of the authors has any conflict of interest to declare.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, PO Box 12233, Durham, NC 27709, USA
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Harris AL, Vitzthum VJ. Darwin's legacy: an evolutionary view of women's reproductive and sexual functioning. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2013; 50:207-246. [PMID: 23480070 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2012.763085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
On the Origin of species, published just over 150 years ago, has deeply influenced thinking in both scientific and wider communities. Darwin's legacy includes recognition of the fact that all organisms evolve; that variation within and between species is natural and normal; and that an evolutionary approach to understanding the sources and consequences of this variation comprises theoretical frameworks, testable hypotheses, and rigorously collected evidence. With an eye toward facilitating communication and productive collaboration among researchers from different intellectual traditions who nonetheless share a common interest in women's reproductive and sexual functioning, we discuss evolutionary concepts and models, summarize the known variability in ovarian functioning and consider the implications of this variability for conducting sex research, and evaluate the relative merits of various biomarkers that serve as proxy measurements of a woman's reproductive and hormonal status. With these perspectives and methods from reproductive ecology at hand, we examine several contentious issues: the links between hormones and sexuality in premenopausal and perimenopausal women, the causes of premenstrual syndrome, and the existence (or not) of menstrual synchrony. In none of these cases is as much known as is often claimed. In each, there are abundant opportunities for innovative, albeit challenging, research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Harris
- Anthropology Department, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405, USA
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Legro RS, Dodson WC, Gnatuk CL, Estes SJ, Kunselman AR, Meadows JW, Kesner JS, Krieg EF, Rogers AM, Haluck RS, Cooney RN. Effects of gastric bypass surgery on female reproductive function. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2012; 97:4540-8. [PMID: 23066115 PMCID: PMC3513539 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2012-2205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Reproductive function may improve after bariatric surgery, although the mechanisms and time-related changes are unclear. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to determine whether ovulation frequency/quality as well as associated reproductive parameters improve after Roux en Y gastric bypass surgery. DESIGN This was a prospective cohort study that enrolled female subjects from 2005 to 2008 with study visits at baseline and then 1, 3, 6, 12, and up to 24 months after surgery. SETTING The study was conducted at an academic health center. PATIENTS Twenty-nine obese, reproductive-aged women not using confounding medications participated in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was integrated levels of urinary progestin (pregnanediol 3-glururonide) from daily urinary collections at 12 months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were changes in vaginal bleeding, other biometric, hormonal, ultrasound, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measures, and Female Sexual Function Index. RESULTS Ninety percent of patients with morbid obesity had ovulatory cycles at baseline, and the ovulatory frequency and luteal phase quality (based on integrated pregnanediol 3-glururonide levels) were not modified by bariatric surgery. The follicular phase was shorter postoperatively [6.5 d shorter at 3 months and 7.9-8.9 d shorter at 6-24 months (P < 0.01)]. Biochemical hyperandrogenism improved, largely due to an immediate postoperative increase in serum SHBG levels (P < 0.01), with no change in clinical hyperandrogenism (sebum production, acne, hirsutism). Bone density was preserved, contrasting with a significant loss of lean muscle mass and fat (P < 0.001), reflecting preferential abdominal fat loss (P < 0.001). Female sexual function improved 28% (P = 0.02) by 12 months. CONCLUSIONS Ovulation persists despite morbid obesity and the changes from bypass surgery. Reproductive function after surgery is characterized by a shortened follicular phase and improved female sexual function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard S Legro
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, H103, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, USA.
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Steiner AZ, Long DL, Herring AH, Kesner JS, Meadows JW, Baird DD. Urinary follicle-stimulating hormone as a measure of natural fertility in a community cohort. Reprod Sci 2012; 20:549-56. [PMID: 23171685 DOI: 10.1177/1933719112459226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
High serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels have been associated with diminished ovarian reserve; however, the association between high urinary FSH and reduced natural fertility has yet to be established. We sought to characterize the relationship between a single or multiple measurements of early follicular phase urinary FSH and fertility. Women (n = 209), 30 to 44 years old with no history of infertility, who had been trying to conceive for less than 3 months, provided early follicular phase urine. Participants subsequently kept a diary to record bleeding and intercourse and conducted standardized pregnancy testing for up to 6 months. A subset of women (N = 95) collected urine on cycle day 3 for up to 6 cycles. Urine was analyzed for FSH and creatinine (cr) corrected. Proportional hazard models were used to calculate fecundability ratios (FRs). Urinary FSH levels across cycles from the same woman were highly correlated (adjusted intraclass correlation = .77); within-woman variance was 3-fold lower than variance among women. Women with an initial urinary FSH level <7 mIU/mg cr exhibited a nonsignificant reduction in the probability of pregnancy (adjusted FR 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.45-1.13), as did women with elevated urinary FSH (≥12 mIU/mg cr; adjusted FR 0.78, 95% CI: 0.46-1.32). Using the most recent or maximum urinary FSH value did not strengthen the association. In the general population, urinary FSH levels appear to be nonlinearly associated with fertility; however, broad CIs indicate a lack of statistical significance. Repetitive testing appears to be of little benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Z Steiner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Reproductive and developmental hazard management guidance: ACOEM Task Force on Reproductive Toxicology. J Occup Environ Med 2011; 53:941-9. [PMID: 21775895 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0b013e318229a549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Cragin LA, Kesner JS, Bachand AM, Barr DB, Meadows JW, Krieg EF, Reif JS. Menstrual cycle characteristics and reproductive hormone levels in women exposed to atrazine in drinking water. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2011; 111:1293-1301. [PMID: 22000761 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2011.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2011] [Revised: 09/16/2011] [Accepted: 09/20/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Atrazine is the most commonly used herbicide in the U.S. and a wide-spread groundwater contaminant. Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence exists that atrazine disrupts reproductive health and hormone secretion. We examined the relationship between exposure to atrazine in drinking water and menstrual cycle function including reproductive hormone levels. Women 18-40 years old residing in agricultural communities where atrazine is used extensively (Illinois) and sparingly (Vermont) answered a questionnaire (n=102), maintained menstrual cycle diaries (n=67), and provided daily urine samples for analyses of luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol and progesterone metabolites (n=35). Markers of exposures included state of residence, atrazine and chlorotriazine concentrations in tap water, municipal water and urine, and estimated dose from water consumption. Women who lived in Illinois were more likely to report menstrual cycle length irregularity (odds ratio (OR)=4.69; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58-13.95) and more than 6 weeks between periods (OR=6.16; 95% CI: 1.29-29.38) than those who lived in Vermont. Consumption of >2 cups of unfiltered Illinois water daily was associated with increased risk of irregular periods (OR=5.73; 95% CI: 1.58-20.77). Estimated "dose" of atrazine and chlorotriazine from tap water was inversely related to mean mid-luteal estradiol metabolite. Atrazine "dose" from municipal concentrations was directly related to follicular phase length and inversely related to mean mid-luteal progesterone metabolite levels. We present preliminary evidence that atrazine exposure, at levels below the US EPA MCL, is associated with increased menstrual cycle irregularity, longer follicular phases, and decreased levels of menstrual cycle endocrine biomarkers of infertile ovulatory cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori A Cragin
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, 1681 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1681, USA.
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Bellem A, Meiyappan S, Romans S, Einstein G. Measuring Estrogens and Progestagens in Humans: An Overview of Methods. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 8:283-99. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genm.2011.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2011] [Revised: 07/25/2011] [Accepted: 07/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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O'Connor KA, Brindle E, Shofer J, Trumble BC, Aranda JD, Rice K, Tatar M. The effects of a long-term psychosocial stress on reproductive indicators in the baboon. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2011; 145:629-38. [PMID: 21702002 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.21538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Accepted: 03/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Psychosocial stress is thought to negatively impact fecundity, but human studies are confounded by variation in nutrition and lifestyle. Baboons offer a useful model to test the effect of prolonged mild stress on reproductive indicators in a controlled setting. Following relocation from social groups to solitary housing, a previously documented stressful event for nonhuman primates, daily urine samples, tumescence, and menstrual bleeding were monitored in twenty baboons (Papio sp.) for 120-150 days. Specimens were assayed for estrone conjugates (E1C), pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PDG), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and cortisol. Linear mixed effects models examined (1) the effects of stress on frequency of anovulation, hormone levels, tumescence and cycle length, and (2) the relationship of cortisol with reproductive indicators. Despite cortisol levels indicative of stress, anovulation was negligible (1% in 102 cycles). PDG, FSH, cycle length, and tumescence declined during the first four cycles, but began recovery by the fifth. Cortisol was negatively associated with FSH but not associated with PDG, E1C or tumescence. Ovulation, E1C, and luteal phase length were not affected. Tumescence tracked changes in FSH and PDG, and thus may be a useful indicator of stress on the reproductive axis. Elevated cortisol was associated with reduced FSH, supporting a model of cortisol action at the hypothalamus rather than the gonad. After four to five menstrual cycles the reproductive indicators began recovery, suggesting adjustment to new housing conditions. In conclusion, individual housing is stressful for captive baboons, as reflected by cortisol and reproductive indicators, although ovulation, a relatively direct proxy for fecundity, is unaffected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen A O'Connor
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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Burriss RP, Welling LL, Puts DA. Men’s attractiveness predicts their preference for female facial femininity when judging for short-term, but not long-term, partners. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2010.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Green DM, Nolan VG, Kawashima T, Stovall M, Donaldson SS, Srivastava D, Leisenring W, Robison LL, Sklar CA. Decreased fertility among female childhood cancer survivors who received 22-27 Gy hypothalamic/pituitary irradiation: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Fertil Steril 2011; 95:1922-7, 1927.e1. [PMID: 21376314 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2010] [Revised: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of hypothalamic/pituitary radiation (HPT RT) dose on the occurrence of first pregnancy. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study of childhood cancer 5-year survivors (CCS) diagnosed between 1970 and 1986 before 21 years of age at one of 26 North American pediatric cancer treatment centers. SETTING Self-administered questionnaire. PATIENT(S) A total of 3,619 female CCS who participated in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study and received no or scatter (≤0.1 Gy) radiation to the ovaries and 2,081 female siblings (Sibs) of the participants. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Self-reported pregnancy events. RESULT(S) As a group, CCS were as likely to report being pregnant as Sibs (hazard ratio 1.07, 95% confidence interval 0.97-1.19). Multivariable models showed a significant decrease in the risk of pregnancy with HPT RT doses≥22 Gy compared with those CCS receiving no HPT RT. CONCLUSION(S) These results support the hypothesis that exposures of 22-27 Gy HPT RT may be a contributing factor to infertility among female CCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Green
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105-2794, USA.
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Flinn MV, Nepomnaschy PA, Muehlenbein MP, Ponzi D. Evolutionary functions of early social modulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis development in humans. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2011; 35:1611-29. [PMID: 21251923 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2010] [Revised: 12/17/2010] [Accepted: 01/05/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) is highly responsive to social challenges. Because stress hormones can have negative developmental and health consequences, this presents an evolutionary paradox: Why would natural selection have favored mechanisms that elevate stress hormone levels in response to psychosocial stimuli? Here we review the hypothesis that large brains, an extended childhood and intensive family care in humans are adaptations resulting from selective forces exerted by the increasingly complex and dynamic social and cultural environment that co-evolved with these traits. Variations in the modulation of stress responses mediated by specific HPAA characteristics (e.g., baseline cortisol levels, and changes in cortisol levels in response to challenges) are viewed as phenotypically plastic, ontogenetic responses to specific environmental signals. From this perspective, we discuss relations between physiological stress responses and life history trajectories, particularly the development of social competencies. We present brief summaries of data on hormones, indicators of morbidity and social environments from our long-term, naturalistic studies in both Guatemala and Dominica. Results indicate that difficult family environments and traumatic social events are associated with temporal elevations of cortisol, suppressed reproductive functioning and elevated morbidity. The long-term effects of traumatic early experiences on cortisol profiles are complex and indicate domain-specific effects, with normal recovery from physical stressors, but some heightened response to negative-affect social challenges. We consider these results to be consistent with the hypothesis that developmental programming of the HPAA and other neuroendocrine systems associated with stress responses may facilitate cognitive targeting of salient social challenges in specific environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark V Flinn
- Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, 107 Swallow Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
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Jukic AMZ, Weinberg CR, Wilcox AJ, Baird DD. Effects of early pregnancy loss on hormone levels in the subsequent menstrual cycle. Gynecol Endocrinol 2010; 26:897-901. [PMID: 20504096 PMCID: PMC3057575 DOI: 10.3109/09513590.2010.487601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies of hormone patterns after clinical miscarriage suggest reduced pituitary function. Hormonal effects of very early pregnancy loss (before 6 weeks gestation) have not been described. We used within-woman differences between menstrual cycles in urinary hormone measurements from women in the North Carolina Early Pregnancy Study to describe hormonal changes after very early pregnancy loss (n = 28 early losses; 80 non-conception comparison cycles). We found lower pre-ovulatory luteinising hormone and shorter luteal phase length after very early pregnancy loss, but the differences were non-significant (p > 0.3) and smaller than those reported in the spontaneous miscarriage literature. Consistent with the reduced pituitary function reported post-spontaneous miscarriage, we found a slower rate of oestrogen rise (p = 0.08). There was no evidence of lower mid-luteal steroid levels as has been suggested for post-spontaneous miscarriage cycles. Very early pregnancy losses do not appear to influence subsequent menstrual cycles to the same degree as spontaneous miscarriages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marie Z Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
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Varghese AC, Ly KD, Corbin C, Mendiola J, Agarwal A. Oocyte developmental competence and embryo development: impact of lifestyle and environmental risk factors. Reprod Biomed Online 2010; 22:410-20. [PMID: 21388885 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2010.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2010] [Revised: 10/19/2010] [Accepted: 11/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Oocyte development is the end result of a sophisticated biological process that is hormonally regulated and produced by highly specialized cellular lines that differentiate in early embryo/fetal development. Embryo development is initially regulated by maternal transcripts until replaced by embryonic genomic expression. Then, an assortment of hormones and local environmental factors in various concentrations along the reproductive tract (e.g. fallopian tube, endometrial lining) provide the protection, nutrients and means of communication for the embryo to implant and develop. Both oocytes and embryos are susceptible to environmental, occupational and lifestyle exposures that can exert direct toxic effects and disrupt hormones. While some exposures may produce reversible changes, others, especially those damaging germinal cells in utero or during prepuberty, may result in permanent sequelae that continue in future generations. This article reviews the main factors that affect female fertility and their possible influence on human reproduction. Some lifestyles, xeno-oestrogens and heavy metals are already known to compromise female reproductive function. Nonetheless, many questions remain and little is known about the effect of many other factors on female fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex C Varghese
- Fertility Clinic and IVF Department, AMRI Medical Centre, Kolkata, India
| | - Kim D Ly
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute and Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Cresandra Corbin
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute and Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jaime Mendiola
- Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Ashok Agarwal
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute and Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Brown JB. Types of ovarian activity in women and their significance: the continuum (a reinterpretation of early findings). Hum Reprod Update 2010; 17:141-58. [PMID: 20923873 PMCID: PMC3039221 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmq040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are many types of ovarian activity that occur in women. This review provides information on the relationship between the hormone values and the degree of biological response to the hormones including the frequency and degree of uterine bleeding. The continuous process is termed the ‘Continuum’ and is thus similar to other processes in the body. METHODS This review draws on information already published from monitoring ovarian activity by urinary oestrogen and pregnanediol measurements using timed 24-h specimens of urine. Much of the rationalization was derived from 5 to 6 year studies of girls progressing from childhood to adulthood, women progressing through menopause, and the return of fertility post-partum. During these times, all the reported types of ovarian activity were encountered. RESULTS All cycle types can be understood in terms of steps in the normal maturation of fertility at the beginning of reproductive life, its return post-partum and its demise at menopause. Each step merges into the next and therefore the sequence is termed the ‘Continuum’. Unpredictable movement from fertile to infertile types and back can occur at any time during reproductive life. Stress is a major causative factor. Hormonal definitions for each step, the relevance of the various cycle types in determining fertility and in the initiation of uterine bleeding and the roles of the pituitary hormones in causing them, are presented. CONCLUSIONS The findings explain the erratic fertility of women and why ovulation is not always associated with fertility. They provide an understanding of the various types of ovarian activity and their relation to pituitary function, fertility and uterine bleeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- James B Brown
- University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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Wo JY, Viswanathan AN. Impact of radiotherapy on fertility, pregnancy, and neonatal outcomes in female cancer patients. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2009; 73:1304-12. [PMID: 19306747 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2008.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2008] [Revised: 12/12/2008] [Accepted: 12/14/2008] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Radiation has many potential long-term effects on cancer survivors. Female cancer patients may experience decreased fertility depending on the site irradiated. Oncologists should be aware of these consequences and discuss options for fertility preservation before initiating therapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS A comprehensive review of the existing literature was conducted. Studies reporting the outcomes for female patients treated with cranio-spinal, abdominal, or pelvic radiation reporting fertility, pregnancy, or neonatal-related outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS Cranio-spinal irradiation elicited significant hormonal changes in women that affected their ability to become pregnant later in life. Women treated with abdomino-pelvic radiation have an increased rate of uterine dysfunction leading to miscarriage, preterm labor, low birth weight, and placental abnormalities. Early menopause results from low-dose ovarian radiation. Ovarian transposition may decrease the rates of ovarian dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS There is a dose-dependent relationship between ovarian radiation therapy (RT) and premature menopause. Patients treated with RT must be aware of the impact of treatment on fertility and explore appropriate options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Y Wo
- Harvard Radiation Oncology Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Abstract
Life history theory posits that natural selection leads to the evolution of mechanisms that tend to allocate resources to the competing demands of growth, reproduction, and survival such that fitness is locally maximized. (That is, among alternative allocation patterns exhibited in a population, those having the highest inclusive fitness will become more common over generational time.) Strategic modulation of reproductive effort is potentially adaptive because investment in a new conception may risk one's own survival, future reproductive opportunities, and/or current offspring survival. Several physiological and behavioral mechanisms modulate reproductive effort in human females. This review focuses on the hormonal changes that vary the probability of ovulation, conception, and/or continuing pregnancy and discusses evolutionary models that predict how and why these hormonal changes occur. Anthropological field studies have yielded important insights into the environmental correlates of variation in ovarian steroids, but much remains to be learned about the evolutionary determinants, proximate mechanisms, and demographic significance of variation in women's reproductive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia J. Vitzthum
- Anthropology Department and Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7100
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Ziomkiewicz A, Ellison PT, Lipson SF, Thune I, Jasienska G. Body fat, energy balance and estradiol levels: a study based on hormonal profiles from complete menstrual cycles. Hum Reprod 2008; 23:2555-63. [PMID: 18641044 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/den213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Female fecundity is regulated by nutritional status. Although widely cited, this hypothesis is not strongly supported by empirical data from non-obese, healthy women of reproductive age. METHODS Healthy, reproductive aged women (n = 141) from Southern Poland collected daily morning saliva samples for one complete menstrual cycle. Levels of 17-beta-estradiol were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. Anthropometric measurements, including body fat percentage, were taken randomly with respect to phase of the menstrual cycle. Energy balance was specified based on changes in body fat percentage from the beginning to the end of the observation period. RESULTS Women with very low and high body fat had significantly lower levels of E2 compared with women with low and average body fat. In women of very low to average body fat, a 10% increase in body fat was associated with a 5-7 pmol/l increase in estradiol levels. The association between fat percentage and E2 was even stronger in women with positive energy balance, who also showed significant differences between body fat groups in estradiol profiles across whole the menstrual cycle. No such relationship was found in women with negative energy balance. CONCLUSIONS In healthy women, we found a non-linear association between body fat and estradiol levels. Both very low and high body fat was associated with decreased estradiol levels. The relationship between estradiol and body fat was strongly influenced by women's energy balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ziomkiewicz
- Institute of Anthropology, Polish Academy of Science, Wroclaw, Poland.
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Feinberg DR. Are human faces and voices ornaments signaling common underlying cues to mate value? Evol Anthropol 2008. [DOI: 10.1002/evan.20166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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NEPOMNASCHY PA, SHEINER E, MASTORAKOS G, ARCK PC. Stress, Immune Function, and Women's Reproduction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2007; 1113:350-64. [DOI: 10.1196/annals.1391.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Abstract
This article considers methodology for hierarchical functional data analysis, motivated by studies of reproductive hormone profiles in the menstrual cycle. Current methods standardize the cycle lengths and ignore the timing of ovulation within the cycle, both of which are biologically informative. Methods are needed that avoid standardization, while flexibly incorporating information on covariates and the timing of reference events, such as ovulation and onset of menses. In addition, it is necessary to account for within-woman dependency when data are collected for multiple cycles. We propose an approach based on a hierarchical generalization of Bayesian multivariate adaptive regression splines. Our formulation allows for an unknown set of basis functions characterizing the population-averaged and woman-specific trajectories in relation to covariates. A reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm is developed for posterior computation. Applying the methods to data from the North Carolina Early Pregnancy Study, we investigate differences in urinary progesterone profiles between conception and nonconception cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Bigelow
- Institute of Statistics and Decision Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.
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Jasienska G, Lipson SF, Ellison PT, Thune I, Ziomkiewicz A. Symmetrical women have higher potential fertility. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2006. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2006.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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