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van Lamsweerde A, Pearson JT, Urrutia R, Gemzell-Danielsson K, Kopp Kallner H, Nelson A, Benhar E, Favaro C, Berglund Scherwitzl E, Scherwitzl R. Time to pregnancy recognition among users of an FDA-cleared fertility application. J OBSTET GYNAECOL 2024; 44:2337687. [PMID: 38630958 DOI: 10.1080/01443615.2024.2337687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Background: Previous investigations of time-to-pregnancy recognition have analysed data from national surveys and clinics, but this has not been investigated in the context of digital fertility applications. Timely pregnancy recognition can help individuals in health and pregnancy management, reducing maternal and foetal risk and costs, whilst increasing treatment options, availability, and cost. Methods: This dataset contained 23,728 pregnancies (conceived between June 2018 and December 2022) from 20,429 participants using a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared fertility app in the United States. Most participants (with non-missing information) identified as Non-Hispanic White, and one-third reported obtaining a university degree. We used two-tailed Welch's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and two-tailed Z-tests to compare time to pregnancy recognition between those using the app to conceive or contracept. Results: Participants using an app to conceive recognised pregnancy on average at 31.3 days from last menstrual period (LMP) compared to 35.9 days among those using the app to prevent pregnancy. Conclusion: Generalisability is limited, as all participants were using a fertility app and had relatively homogenous sociodemographic characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rachel Urrutia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kristina Gemzell-Danielsson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Division for Neonatology,Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helena Kopp Kallner
- Department of Clinical Sciences at Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anita Nelson
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
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Hartup LA, Schenken CM, Kohler KR, Yauger BJ. Fertility After Endometrial Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Early Endometrial Cancer: Ovulation Induction May Shorten Time to Conception. Reprod Sci 2024; 31:1345-1352. [PMID: 38172334 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01441-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether utilization of assisted reproductive technology following clearance of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN) or early endometrial cancer (EC) shortens time to conception (TTC) and reduces recurrence. Patients aged 18 to 45 with EIN or early EC who achieved pathologic response following progesterone treatment were identified via retrospective chart review. Study groups included patients who pursued ovulation induction (OI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and spontaneous pregnancy. Primary outcomes were TTC and recurrence rate. Three hundred forty-six charts were reviewed, with 86 patients meeting inclusion criteria and 53 attempting pregnancy. Of those 53 patients, 11 became pregnant and seven had a live birth. Median times to pregnancy were 183 days for IVF, 54 days for OI, and 347 days for spontaneous conception (p < 0.05). No differences were seen in recurrence or progression based on attempted pregnancy method, nor with duration of fertility treatment. Forty-two of 86 patients (49%) were lost to follow-up. For patients with a history of treated EIN or EC, OI may decrease TTC. Larger prospective studies are needed to definitively answer this question. Although no differences in recurrence or progression were identified, the significant loss to follow-up rate in this study is concerning and warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay A Hartup
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
| | - Claire M Schenken
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Kelsey R Kohler
- Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Belinda J Yauger
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
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Warp ML, Grindstad T, Magnus MC, Page CM, Håberg SE, Morken NH, Romundstad LB, Hanevik HI. Early or late menarche is associated with reduced fecundability in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:812-821. [PMID: 38323524 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is age at menarche associated with fecundability? SUMMARY ANSWER Both early (<11 years) and late (>15 years) menarche is associated with decreased fecundability. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Previous studies on age at menarche and fecundability have been inconclusive. Women with early or late menarche are at increased risks of gynaecological and autoimmune diseases that may affect their ability to conceive. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 67 613 pregnant women, participating in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study between 1999 and 2008, with self-reported information on age at menarche and time to pregnancy. We included planned pregnancies that were conceived either naturally or with the help of assisted reproductive technologies. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS We calculated fecundability ratios (FRs) with 95% CIs representing the cycle-specific probability of conception by categories of age at menarche. FRs were adjusted for participants' pre-pregnancy body mass index, highest completed or ongoing education level, and age at initiation of trying to conceive. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE We observed a 7% lower probability of conceiving during any given menstrual cycle up to 12 cycles in women with early or late menarche. Among women with menarche >15 years, the adjusted FR was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.90-0.97), and among women with menarche <11 years, the adjusted FR was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.89-0.99), when compared to women with menarche between 12 and 14 years. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The study-population consisted of women pregnant in their second trimester, excluding those with persistent infertility. Recall of age at menarche and time to pregnancy may be inaccurate. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Both early (<11 years) and late (>15 years) menarche was associated with decreased fecundability. Women experiencing early menarche or late menarche may be counselled accordingly. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was funded by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway, and by Telemark Hospital Trust, Porsgrunn, Norway and was partly supported by the Research Council of Norway through its centres of excellence funding scheme (project number 262700) and the Research Council of Norway (project no. 320656). The project was co-funded by the European Union (ERC, BIOSFER, 101071773). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. M.C.M. has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant agreement no. 947684). The authors report no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Warp
- Telemark Hospital Trust, Fertility Department Soer, Porsgrunn, Norway
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - T Grindstad
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - M C Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - C M Page
- Department of Physical Health and Ageing, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - S E Håberg
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - N-H Morken
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - L B Romundstad
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Spiren Fertility Clinic, Trondheim, Norway
| | - H I Hanevik
- Telemark Hospital Trust, Fertility Department Soer, Porsgrunn, Norway
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Premranjith P, King W, Ashley-Martin J, Borghese MM, Bouchard M, Foster W, Arbuckle TE, Velez MP. Maternal exposure to metals and time-to-pregnancy: The MIREC cohort study. BJOG 2024; 131:589-597. [PMID: 38239019 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.17759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the association between maternal exposure to arsenic, cadmium, lead, manganese and mercury, time-to-pregnancy (TTP) and infertility. DESIGN Pregnancy-based retrospective TTP cohort study. SETTING Hospitals and clinics from ten cities across Canada. POPULATION A total of 1784 pregnant women. METHODS Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, manganese and mercury were measured in maternal whole blood during the first trimester of pregnancy as a proxy of preconception exposure. Discrete-time Cox proportional hazards models generated fecundability odds ratios (FOR) for the association between metals and TTP. Logistic regression generated odds ratios (OR) for the association between metals and infertility. Models were adjusted for maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, education, income, recruitment site and plasma lipids. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES TTP was self-reported as the number of months of unprotected intercourse to become pregnant. Infertility was defined as TTP longer than 12 months. RESULTS A total of 1784 women were eligible for the analysis. Mean ± SD maternal age and gestational age at interview were 32.2 ± 5.0 years, and 11.6 ± 1.6 weeks, respectively. Exposure to arsenic, cadmium, manganese or mercury was not associated with TTP or infertility. Increments of one standard deviation of lead concentrations resulted in a shorter TTP (adjusted FOR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.16); however, the association was not linear when exposure was modelled in tertiles. CONCLUSION Blood concentrations of metals at typical levels of exposure among Canadian pregnant women were not associated with TTP or infertility. Further studies are needed to assess the role of lead, if any, on TTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Premranjith
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Will King
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jillian Ashley-Martin
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael M Borghese
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maryse Bouchard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Warren Foster
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tye E Arbuckle
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maria P Velez
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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Sabbath EL, Willis MD, Wesselink AK, Wang TR, McKinnon CJ, Hatch EE, Wise LA. Association between job control and time to pregnancy in a preconception cohort. Fertil Steril 2024; 121:497-505. [PMID: 38036244 PMCID: PMC10923004 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate associations between low job control (operationalized as job independence and freedom to make decisions) and time to pregnancy. Low job control, a form of workplace stress, is associated with adverse health outcomes ranging from cardiovascular disease to premature mortality; few studies have specifically examined its association with reproductive outcomes. DESIGN We used data from Pregnancy Study Online, an internet-based preconception cohort study of couples trying to conceive in the United States and Canada. We estimated fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) via proportional probability regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. SETTING Not applicable (Web-based study). PATIENTS Participants self-identified as female, were aged 21-45 years, and reported ≤6 cycles of pregnancy attempt time at enrollment (2018-2022). EXPOSURE We assessed job control by matching participants' baseline self-reported occupation and industry with standardized occupation codes from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System, then linking codes to O∗NET job exposure scores for job independence and freedom to make decisions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Our main outcome measure was fecundability. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires at baseline and every 8 weeks for up to 12 months or until reported pregnancy, whichever occurred first. RESULTS Among 3,110 participants, lower job independence was associated with reduced fecundability. Compared with the fourth (highest) quartile, corresponding to the most job independence, FRs (95% CI) for first (lowest), second, and third quartiles were 0.92 (0.82-1.04), 0.84 (0.74-0.95), and 0.99 (0.88, 1.11), respectively. Lower freedom to make decisions was associated with slightly reduced fecundability (first vs. fourth quartile: FR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.80-1.05). CONCLUSION Lower job control, a work-related stressor, may adversely influence time to pregnancy. Because job control is a condition of work (i.e., not modifiable by individuals), these findings may strengthen arguments for improving working conditions as a means of improving worker health, including fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika L Sabbath
- Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
| | - Mary D Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Amelia K Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tanran R Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Craig J McKinnon
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth E Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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Lindahl-Jacobsen R, Tavlo Petersson M, Priskorn L, Skakkebæk NE, Juul A, Kristensen DM, Eisenberg ML, Jensen TK. Time to pregnancy and life expectancy: a cohort study of 18 796 pregnant couples. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:595-603. [PMID: 38115232 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is fecundity, measured as time to pregnancy (TTP), associated with mortality in parents? SUMMARY ANSWER Prolonged TTP is associated with increased mortality in both mothers and fathers in a dose-response manner. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Several studies have linked both male and female fecundity to mortality. In women, infertility has been linked to several diseases, but studies suggest that the underlying conditions, rather than infertility, increase mortality. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A prospective cohort study was carried out on 18 796 pregnant couples, in which the pregnant women attended prophylactic antenatal care between 1973 and 1987 at a primary and tertiary care unit. The couples were followed in Danish mortality registers from their child's birth date until death or until 2018. The follow-up period was up to 47 years, and there was complete follow-up until death, emigration or end of study. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS At the first antenatal visit, the pregnant women were asked to report the time to the current pregnancy. Inclusion was restricted to the first pregnancy, and TTP was categorised into <12 months, ≥12 months, not planned, and not available. In sub-analyses, TTP ≥12 was further categorized into 12-35, 36-60, and >60 months. Information for parents was linked to several Danish nationwide health registries. Survival analysis was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) with a 95% CI for survival and adjusted for age at the first attempt to become pregnant, year of birth, socioeconomic status, mother's smoking during pregnancy, and mother's BMI. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Mothers and fathers with TTP >60 months survived, respectively, 3.5 (95% CI: 2.6-4.3) and 2.7 (95% CI: 1.8-3.7) years shorter than parents with a TTP <12 months. The mortality was higher for fathers (HR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.09-1.34) and mothers (HR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.12-1.49) with TTP ≥12 months compared to parents with TTP <12 months. The risk of all-cause mortality during the study period increased in a dose-response manner with the highest adjusted HR of 1.98 (95% CI: 1.62-2.41) for fathers and 2.03 (95% CI: 1.56-2.63) for mothers with TTP >60 months. Prolonged TTP was associated with several different causes of death in both fathers and mothers, indicating that the underlying causes of the relation between fecundity and survival may be multi-factorial. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION A limitation is that fecundity is measured using a pregnancy-based approach. Thus, the cohort is conditioned on fertility success and excludes sterile couples, unsuccessful attempts and spontaneous abortions. The question used to measure TTP when the pregnant woman was interviewed at her first attended prophylactic antenatal care: 'From the time you wanted a pregnancy until it occurred, how much time passed?' could potentially have led to serious misclassification if the woman did not answer on time starting unprotected intercourse but on the start of wishing to have a child. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS We found that TTP is a strong marker of survival, contributing to the still-emerging evidence that fecundity in men and women reflects their health and survival potential. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The authors acknowledge an unrestricted grant from Ferring. The funder was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article, or the decision to submit it for publication. M.L.E. is an advisor to Ro, VSeat, Doveras, and Next. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Lindahl-Jacobsen
- Department of Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Biodemography, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
- Interdisciplinary Center on Population Dynamics (CPop), University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
| | - M Tavlo Petersson
- Department of Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Biodemography, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
- Interdisciplinary Center on Population Dynamics (CPop), University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
| | - L Priskorn
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - N E Skakkebæk
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - A Juul
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - D M Kristensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale), Irset-Inserm UMR 1085, Rennes, France
- Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - M L Eisenberg
- Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Departments of Urology and Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - T K Jensen
- Department of Public Health, Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
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Capodanno F, Anastasi A, Cinti M, Bonesi F, Gallinelli A. Current and future methods for embryo selection: on a quest for reliable strategies to reduce time to pregnancy. Minerva Obstet Gynecol 2024; 76:80-88. [PMID: 37162493 DOI: 10.23736/s2724-606x.23.05257-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to analyze the usefulness of the principal embryological strategies to reduce time to pregnancy. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A systematic search of publications in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus databases from inception to present including "IVF," "blastocyst," "embryo colture," "competent embryo," "time to pregnancy," "aneuploid," "euploid," "vitrification," "preimplantation genetic," "IVF strategies" and "embryo selection" alone or in combinations has been done. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS We have selected 230 articles and 9 of them have been included in this mini-review. CONCLUSIONS Several embryological strategies aimed to select the most competent embryo and reduce time to pregnancy have been proposed, even if few publications on this specific topic are available. preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A) represents the unique method able to assess the embryonic chromosomal status, but this does not mean that PGT-A is a reliable strategy to reduce time to pregnancy. There is no consensus on a specific method to reduce time to pregnancy, nevertheless this final goal could be probably reached through a harmonious combination of procedures. Thus, a reliable strategy to reduce time to pregnancy could be achieved when embryo culture, embryo cryopreservation and PGT-A are perfectly integrated and appropriately offered to selected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Capodanno
- Center of Physiopathology of Human Reproduction, "Delta" Hospital, AUSL Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Attilio Anastasi
- Center of Physiopathology of Human Reproduction, "Delta" Hospital, AUSL Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy -
| | - Marialuisa Cinti
- Center of Physiopathology of Human Reproduction, "Delta" Hospital, AUSL Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Francesca Bonesi
- Center of Physiopathology of Human Reproduction, "Delta" Hospital, AUSL Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Andrea Gallinelli
- Center of Physiopathology of Human Reproduction, "Delta" Hospital, AUSL Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Zhang Y, Zhang H, Zhao J, Zhao Y, Zhang J, Jiang L, Wang Y, Peng Z, Zhang Y, Jiao K, He T, Wang Q, Shen H, Zhang Y, Yan D, Ma X. Gravidity modifies the associations of age and spousal age difference with couple's fecundability: a large cohort study from China. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:201-208. [PMID: 37823182 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Do couple's age ranges for optimal fecundability, and the associations with fecundability of couple's age combinations and age differences differ with gravidity? SUMMARY ANSWER The couple's age range of optimal fecundability and age combinations differed with gravidity, and gravidity might modify the associations of age and spousal age difference with couple's fecundability. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Age is one of the strongest determinants of fecundability, but the existing studies have certain limitations in study population, couple's extreme age combinations and age differences, and have not explored whether the association between age and fecundability differs with gravidity. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Retrospective cohort study. 5 407 499 general reproductive-aged couples (not diagnosed with infertility) participated in the National Free Pre-conception Check-up Projects during 2015-2017. They were followed up for pregnancy outcomes through telephone interviews every 3 months until they became pregnant or were followed up for 1 year. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS The main outcome was time to pregnancy, and the fecundability odds ratios and 95% CIs were estimated using the Cox models for discrete survival time. The associations of age and spousal age difference with fecundability were evaluated by restricted cubic splines. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In this large cohort of general reproductive-aged population, the age of optimal fecundability of multigravida couples was older than that of nulligravida couples, but their subsequent fecundability declined more sharply with age. The decline in female fecundability was more pronounced with age, with fecundability dropping by ∼30% in both nulligravida and multigravida couples whose female partners aged ≥35 years. In the nulligravida group, the fecundability of couples who were both ≤24 years with the same age was the highest, which decreased steadily with the increase of spousal age difference, and younger male partners did not seem to contribute to improving couple's fecundability. In the multigravida group, couples with female partners aged 25-34 years and a spousal age difference of -5 to 5 years showed higher fecundability, and the effect of spousal age difference on couple's fecundability became suddenly apparent when female partners aged around 40 years. Young male partners were unable to change the decisive effect of female partner's age over 40 years on couple's reduced fecundability, regardless of gravidity. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Lacking the time for couples to attempt pregnancy before enrollment, and some couples might suspend pregnancy plans during follow-up because of certain emergencies, which would misestimate the fecundability. Due to the lack of information on sperm quality and sexual frequency of couples, we could not adjust for these factors. Moreover, due to population characteristics, the extrapolation of our results required caution. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The couple's age range of optimal fecundability, age combinations, and spousal age difference on fecundability varied with gravidity. Female age-related decline in fecundability was more dominant in couple's fecundability. Targeted fertility guidance should be provided to couples with different age combinations and gravidities. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This research received funding from the Project of National Research Institute for Family Planning (Grant No. 2018NRIFPJ03), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2016YFC1000307), and the National Human Genetic Resources Sharing Service Platform (Grant No. 2005DKA21300), People's Republic of China. The funders had no role in study design, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The authors report no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Hongguang Zhang
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yueshu Zhao
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, China
| | - Junhui Zhang
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lifang Jiang
- Henan Institute of Reproductive Health Science and Technology, Henan, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Zuoqi Peng
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Kailei Jiao
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyu He
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Qiaomei Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Haiping Shen
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Yiping Zhang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Donghai Yan
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Ma
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
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9
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Mínguez-Alarcón L. Preconception antibiotic use and decreased fecundability: confounding by indication? Fertil Steril 2023; 120:660. [PMID: 37321531 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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10
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Charifson M, Ghassabian A, Seok E, Naidu M, Mehta-Lee SS, Brubaker SG, Afanasyeva Y, Chen Y, Liu M, Trasande L, Kahn LG. Chronotype and sleep duration interact to influence time to pregnancy: Results from a New York City cohort. Sleep Health 2023; 9:467-474. [PMID: 37055302 PMCID: PMC10514230 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE To study associations between nighttime sleep characteristics and time to pregnancy. METHODS Pregnant people age ≥18 years and<18 weeks' gestation were recruited from 3 New York University Grossman School of Medicine affiliated hospitals in Manhattan and Brooklyn (n = 1428) and enrolled into the New York University Children's Health and Environment Study. Participants in the first trimester of pregnancy were asked to recall their time to pregnancy and their sleep characteristics in the 3 months before conception. RESULTS Participants who reported sleeping<7 hours per night tended to have shorter time to pregnancy than those who slept 7-9 hours per night (adjusted fecundability odds ratio = 1.16, 95% confidence interval: 0.94, 1.41). Participants with a sleep midpoint of 4 AM or later tended to have longer time to pregnancy compared with those with earlier sleep midpoints (before 4 AM) (adjusted fecundability odds ratio = 0.88, 95% confidence interval: 0.74, 1.04). When stratified by sleep midpoint, sleeping<7 hours was significantly associated with shorter time to pregnancy only among those whose sleep midpoint was before 4 AM (adjusted fecundability odds ratio = 1.33, 95% confidence interval: 1.07, 1.67). CONCLUSIONS The association of sleep duration with time to pregnancy was modified by chronotype, suggesting that both biological and behavioral aspects of sleep may influence fecundability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Charifson
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA.
| | - Akhgar Ghassabian
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Eunsil Seok
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Mrudula Naidu
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Shilpi S Mehta-Lee
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University Langone Health, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Sara G Brubaker
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University Langone Health, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Yelena Afanasyeva
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Mengling Liu
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Linda G Kahn
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
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11
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Jørgensen MD, Mikkelsen EM, Hatch EE, Rothman KJ, Wise LA, Sørensen HT, Laursen ASD. Socioeconomic status and fecundability in a Danish preconception cohort. Hum Reprod 2023; 38:1183-1193. [PMID: 37094974 PMCID: PMC10233268 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION To what extent is socioeconomic status (SES), as measured by educational attainment and household income, associated with fecundability in a cohort of Danish couples trying to conceive? SUMMARY ANSWER In this preconception cohort, lower educational attainment and lower household income were associated with lower fecundability after adjusting for potential confounders. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Approximately 15% of couples are affected by infertility. Socioeconomic disparities in health are well established. However, little is known about socioeconomic disparity and its relation to fertility. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This is a cohort study of Danish females aged 18-49 years who were trying to conceive between 2007 and 2021. Information was collected via baseline and bi-monthly follow-up questionnaires for 12 months or until reported pregnancy. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Overall, 10 475 participants contributed 38 629 menstrual cycles and 6554 pregnancies during a maximum of 12 cycles of follow-up. We used proportional probabilities regression models to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% CIs. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Compared with upper tertiary education (highest level), fecundability was substantially lower for primary and secondary school (FR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.62-0.85), upper secondary school (FR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.79-1.00), vocational education (FR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.75-0.89), and lower tertiary education (FR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.80-0.95), but not for middle tertiary education (FR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.93-1.03). Compared with a monthly household income of >65 000 DKK, fecundability was lower for household income <25 000 DKK (FR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.72-0.85), 25 000-39 000 DKK (FR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.82-0.94), and 40 000-65 000 DKK (FR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.88-0.99). The results did not change appreciably after adjustment for potential confounders. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION We used educational attainment and household income as indicators of SES. However, SES is a complex concept, and these indicators may not reflect all aspects of SES. The study recruited couples planning to conceive, including the full spectrum of fertility from less fertile to highly fertile individuals. Our results may generalize to most couples who are trying to conceive. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our results are consistent with the literature indicating well-documented inequities in health across socioeconomic groups. The associations for income were surprisingly strong considering the Danish welfare state. These results indicate that the redistributive welfare system in Denmark does not suffice to eradicate inequities in reproductive health. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The study was supported by the Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (RO1-HD086742, R21-HD050264, and R01-HD060680). The authors declare no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Dahl Jørgensen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ellen M Mikkelsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Elizabeth E Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth J Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- RTI Health Solutions, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Henrik Toft Sørensen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anne Sofie Dam Laursen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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12
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Cohen NJ, Yao M, Midya V, India-Aldana S, Mouzica T, Andra SS, Narasimhan S, Meher AK, Arora M, Chan JKY, Chan SY, Loy SL, Minguez-Alarcon L, Oulhote Y, Huang J, Valvi D. Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and women's fertility outcomes in a Singaporean population-based preconception cohort. Sci Total Environ 2023; 873:162267. [PMID: 36801327 PMCID: PMC10234267 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Experimental models have demonstrated a link between exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and decreased fertility and fecundability; however, human studies are scarce. We assessed the associations between preconception plasma PFAS concentrations and fertility outcomes in women. METHODS In a case-control study nested within the population-based Singapore Preconception Study of Long-Term Maternal and Child Outcomes (S-PRESTO), we measured PFAS in plasma collected in 2015-2017 from 382 women of reproductive age trying to conceive. Using Cox proportional hazards regression (fecundability ratios [FRs]) and logistic regression (odds ratios [ORs]) models, we assessed the associations of individual PFAS with time-to-pregnancy (TTP), and the likelihoods of clinical pregnancy and live birth, respectively, over one year of follow-up, adjusting for analytical batch, age, education, ethnicity, and parity. We used Bayesian weighted quantile sum (BWQS) regression to assess the associations of the PFAS mixture with fertility outcomes. RESULTS We found a 5-10 % reduction in fecundability per quartile increase of exposure to individual PFAS (FRs [95 % CIs] for clinical pregnancy = 0.90 [0.82, 0.98] for PFDA; 0.88 [0.79, 0.99] for PFOS; 0.95 [0.86, 1.06] for PFOA; 0.92 [0.84, 1.00] for PFHpA). We observed similar decreased odds of clinical pregnancy (ORs [95 % CIs] = 0.74 [0.56, 0.98] for PFDA; 0.76 [0.53, 1.09] for PFOS; 0.83 [0.59, 1.17] for PFOA; 0.92 [0.70, 1.22] for PFHpA) and live birth per quartile increases of individual PFAS and the PFAS mixture (ORs [95 % CIs] = 0.61 [0.37, 1.02] for clinical pregnancy, and 0.66 [0.40, 1.07] for live birth). Within the PFAS mixture, PFDA followed by PFOS, PFOA, and PFHpA were the biggest contributors to these associations. We found no evidence of association for PFHxS, PFNA, and PFHpS and the fertility outcomes examined. CONCLUSIONS Higher PFAS exposures may be associated with decreased fertility in women. The potential impact of ubiquitous PFAS exposures on infertility mechanisms requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J Cohen
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Meizhen Yao
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Vishal Midya
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Sandra India-Aldana
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Tomer Mouzica
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Syam S Andra
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Srinivasan Narasimhan
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Anil K Meher
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Manish Arora
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Jerry Kok Yen Chan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore; Academic Clinical Program in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Shiao-Yng Chan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - See Ling Loy
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore; Academic Clinical Program in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Lidia Minguez-Alarcon
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Youssef Oulhote
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Huang
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; Centre for Quantitative Medicine, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Damaskini Valvi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America.
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13
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Shi M, Weinberg CR. Approaches for Assessing Effects of Exposures on Human Fertility. Epidemiology 2023; 34:230-237. [PMID: 36722805 PMCID: PMC9896569 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fecundability (conception rate per menstrual cycle) varies among non-contracepting couples. Time-to-pregnancy studies can identify exposures contributing to that variability, using three designs: incident cohort, prevalent cohort, and retrospective. Typically, researchers then apply semi-parametric, generalized linear time-to-pregnancy models to data, with either a log or a logit "link," to estimate either a fecundability ratio (FR) or a fecundability odds ratio (FOR). The ongoing-attempt study design can also be informative. METHODS We consider a different generalized linear model, based on an inverse link. It models the heterogeneity as beta distributed and enables estimation of both the FR and FOR, defined based on population mean fecundabilities, without requiring constancy across attempt time. Under an ongoing-attempt design, the parameter associated with a dichotomous exposure has no clear meaning with a log or a logit link, but under the proposed approach estimates the ratio of the two average times to pregnancy. Basing simulations on conception rates from a large study, we compare the three analytic approaches for confidence interval coverage and power. We also assess the performance of a commonly used method for verifying the constancy of FOR or FR across time. RESULTS The inverse-link approach had slightly less power than the others, but its estimates maintained nominal confidence interval coverage under nonconstancy. A popular method for testing constancy across time for the FR and FOR had poor power. CONCLUSIONS The inverse-link analysis offers a useful alternative to the usual methods, with estimation performance that generalizes to the ongoing-attempt design and does not require hard-to-verify constancy assumptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Shi
- From the Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC
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14
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Harris BS, Jukic AM, Truong T, Nagle CT, Erkanli A, Steiner AZ. Markers of ovarian reserve as predictors of future fertility. Fertil Steril 2023; 119:99-106. [PMID: 36460524 PMCID: PMC10074834 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the association between ovarian reserve biomarkers and future fertility among late reproductive-age women. DESIGN Cohort study of participants enrolled in Time to Conceive (TTC), a time-to-pregnancy cohort study of the ovarian reserve biomarkers. SETTING Community. PATIENT(S) Women aged 30-44 years without a history of infertility who provided a blood sample at enrollment in TTC and who agreed to future follow-up. INTERVENTION(S) Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) The primary outcomes were probability of achieving a live birth >3 years after enrollment in TTC, diagnosis of infertility at any time, and time-to-pregnancy in future pregnancy attempts. RESULT(S) Women with diminished ovarian reserve, defined as those with an antimüllerian hormone (AMH) level <0.7 ng/mL or follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level ≥10 mIU/mL, did not have low risk of future live birth (relative risk [RR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95-1.83 and RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.97-1.70, respectively) compared with women with normal ovarian reserve after adjusting for age at blood draw, race, obesity, use of hormonal contraception, and year of enrollment in original study. Among women in the cohort that attempted to conceive, there was not a significant association between diminished ovarian reserve, as measured by AMH or FSH, and risk of future infertility (RR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.21-2.07 and RR,1.69; 95% CI, 0.86-3.31, respectively). Similarly, there was no association between AMH and FSH levels and future fecundability (fecundability ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.59, 1.60; and fecundability ration, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.55-1.36, respectively). CONCLUSION Diminished ovarian reserve is not associated with reduced future reproductive capacity. Given the lack of association, women should be cautioned regarding use biomarkers of ovarian reserve as predictors of their future reproductive capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S Harris
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke Fertility Center, Morrisville, North Carolina.
| | - Anne Marie Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Tracy Truong
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Caroline T Nagle
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Alaattin Erkanli
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Anne Z Steiner
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke Fertility Center, Morrisville, North Carolina
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15
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Tabernero Rico PM. Time to pregnancy and perinatal outcomes in a cohort of spontaneous pregnancies. Sex Reprod Healthc 2022; 34:100793. [PMID: 36402127 DOI: 10.1016/j.srhc.2022.100793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obstetric and perinatal outcomes depend not only on care during pregnancy, as there is an increasing evidence of their relationship with preexisting conditions. Woman's age and time to pregnancy (TTP) have been related to the prognosis in reproductive success, but TTP could influence fetal well-being and newborn. According to the World Health Organization, 48 million couples have subfertility globally. METHODS We analyzed the relationship between TTP and obstetric (premature labor, preeclampsia…), labor (type of delivery, postpartum hemorrhage…), and neonatal outcomes (low birth weight…) in a cohort of 190 spontaneous gestations. Subfertility is a disease defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. RESULTS TTP was >12 months in 23.1 % (95 % CI = 17.57-29.55), however, no correlation was found with the perinatal outcomes (p = 0.24). We observed that 45.2 % of subfertile women had obstetric complications, 13.2 % labor complications, and 34.2 % neonatal complications, whereas non-subfertile women had 29.4 %, 21.0 %, and 21.0 %, respectively. Half of pregnancies have at least one adverse outcome, and obstetric complications were the most frequent. CONCLUSION Subfertility condition may appear in up to a fifth of our couples. Subfertility may behave as a mild risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes. Obstetric or perinatal complication may be expected in up to half of the cases. Subfertile women ≥ 35 years of age have a 3-fold increase in their risk of having an obstetric complication when compared to non-subfertile women of the same age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro-Manuel Tabernero Rico
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, University Hospital of Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Camino del Molino, 2, 28942, Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain.
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16
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Nillni YI, Crowe HM, Yland JJ, Wesselink AK, Wise LA. The association between time-to-pregnancy and postpartum depressive symptoms in a North American prospective cohort study. Ann Epidemiol 2022; 74:51-57. [PMID: 35902064 PMCID: PMC9743161 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To prospectively examine the association between time-to-pregnancy (TTP) and postpartum depression (PPD) and determine whether perceived stress during early pregnancy mediated this association. METHODS In Pregnancy Study Online, an internet-based preconception cohort study of pregnancy planners, participants completed questionnaires every 8 weeks for up to 12 months or conception, during pregnancy, and at postpartum. A total of 2643 women provided information on sociodemographic factors, reproductive history, and stress (i.e., Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]) during preconception and early pregnancy (completed at ∼4-12 weeks' gestation) and on postpartum depressive symptoms (i.e., Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS]) at ∼6 months postpartum. We used multivariable modified Poisson regression models to estimate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between TTP (<3, 3-5, 6-11, ≥12 menstrual cycles) and PPD (EPDS score ≥13). Causal mediation analyses assessed the mediating role of early pregnancy PSS scores. RESULTS 10.6% of women had EPDS scores indicating possible PPD (≥13). Compared with women who took less than 3 cycles to conceive, risk ratios for those who took 3-5, 6-11, and greater than or equal to 12 were 1.06 (95% CI: 0.77, 1.45), 1.24 (95% CI: 0.90, 1.70), and 1.31 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.99), respectively. Approximately 30% of the association between infertility (TTP ≥ 12) and PPD was mediated by early pregnancy PSS. CONCLUSIONS There was a modest positive dose-response association between delayed conception and PPD. Perceived stress in early pregnancy explained a small proportion of this association. However, given the width of the CIs, chance cannot be ruled out as an explanation for the observed association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael I Nillni
- National Center for PTSD, Women's Health Sciences Division at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
| | - Holly M Crowe
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Jennifer J Yland
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Amelia K Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
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17
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Zhang Y, Jukic AMZ, Song H, Zhang L, Yang F, Wu S, Yin D, Jiang H. Serum Vitamin D Concentrations, Time to Pregnancy, and Pregnancy Outcomes among Preconception Couples: A Cohort Study in Shanghai, China. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14153058. [PMID: 35893912 PMCID: PMC9330297 DOI: 10.3390/nu14153058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of vitamin D in reproductive health is still unclear. This study aimed to assess the effect of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), among preconception couples, on fecundity, and the associations between 25(OH)D concentrations before and during pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes. METHODS 200 preconception couples attempting to conceive were recruited and were followed-up until childbirth. Time to pregnancy was collected via telephone every two months or obtained via a questionnaire during pregnancy. Blood samples were collected to measure serum 25(OH)D levels from both partners at enrollment and from women during the second and third trimester of pregnancy. RESULTS Couples had higher conception rates within six months (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.72, 95% CI: 1.16, 11.9) and reduced time to pregnancy (adjusted fecundability ratio (aFR): 1.50, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.23) if male partners had sufficient 25(OH)D compared with insufficient 25(OH)D. Compared to pregnant women with insufficient 25(OH)D in the third trimester of pregnancy, sufficient 25(OH)D was associated with reduced odds of anemia (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.82), longer gestational age (β: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.04, 1.01) and newborns' higher ponderal index (β: 0.10, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.19). CONCLUSIONS Sufficient serum 25(OH)D levels among preconception men or during pregnancy were associated with better reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- School of Public Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (Y.Z.); (H.S.)
- Vital Statistics Department, Songjiang District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 201600, China
| | - Anne Marie Z. Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA;
| | - Heqing Song
- School of Public Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (Y.Z.); (H.S.)
| | - Lifeng Zhang
- Shanghai Jiading Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Shanghai 201812, China; (L.Z.); (F.Y.); (S.W.); (D.Y.)
| | - Fengyun Yang
- Shanghai Jiading Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Shanghai 201812, China; (L.Z.); (F.Y.); (S.W.); (D.Y.)
| | - Shoule Wu
- Shanghai Jiading Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Shanghai 201812, China; (L.Z.); (F.Y.); (S.W.); (D.Y.)
| | - Dongxiao Yin
- Shanghai Jiading Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Shanghai 201812, China; (L.Z.); (F.Y.); (S.W.); (D.Y.)
| | - Hong Jiang
- School of Public Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (Y.Z.); (H.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-021-64179976
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Stanhiser J, Jukic AMZ, McConnaughey DR, Steiner AZ. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and fecundability. Hum Reprod 2022; 37:1037-1046. [PMID: 35147198 PMCID: PMC9308390 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deac027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is self-reported use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements associated with fecundability, the probability of natural conception, in a given menstrual cycle? SUMMARY ANSWER Prospectively recorded omega-3 supplement use was associated with an increased probability of conceiving. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In infertile women, omega-3 fatty acid intake has been associated with increased probability of pregnancy following IVF. In natural fertility, studies are conflicting, and no study of natural fertility has evaluated omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and fecundity. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Secondary data analysis of 900 women contributing 2510 cycles in Time to Conceive (TTC), a prospective, time to pregnancy cohort study from 2008 to December 2015. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Women aged 30-44 years, trying to conceive <3 months, without history of infertility were followed using standardized pregnancy testing. While attempting to conceive, women daily recorded menstrual cycle events and supplement and medication intake using the Cerner Multum Drug Database. Supplements and vitamins containing omega-3 were identified. Omega-3 use, defined as use in at least 20% of days in a given menstrual cycle, in each pregnancy attempt cycle was determined. A discrete-time Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate the fecundability ratio. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Women taking omega-3 supplementation were more likely to be younger, thinner, nulligravid, white and to take vitamin D, prenatal and multivitamins compared to women not taking omega-3s. After adjusting for age, obesity, race, previous pregnancy, vitamin D and prenatal and multivitamin use, women taking omega-3 supplements had 1.51 (95% CI 1.12, 2.04) times the probability of conceiving compared to women not taking omega-3s. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Our study was not a randomized controlled trial. The women who used omega-3 supplements may represent a more health-conscious population. We sought to address this by adjusting for multiple factors in our model. Additionally, the omega-3 fatty acid supplements that TTC participants used included multiple types and brands with varying dosages of omega-3 fatty acids. Women reported the type of supplement they were taking but not the concentration of omega-3s in that supplement. It is therefore not possible to compare dosing or a dose-response relationship in our study. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Omega-3 supplementation may present a feasible and inexpensive modifiable factor to improve fertility. Randomized controlled trials are needed to further investigate the benefits of omega-3 supplementation for women trying to conceive naturally. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This study was supported by the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the NIH/NICHD (R21 HD060229-01 and R01 HD067683-01), and in part by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Z01ES103333). The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Stanhiser
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Reproductive Partners—San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - A M Z Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - A Z Steiner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammation may contribute to subfertility but this has not been well-explored in large prospective cohort studies. METHODS We conducted a prospective 12-month cohort study of time to pregnancy in North Carolina, the Time to Conceive study (2010-2016). Participants were 30-44 years old, without a history of infertility (N = 727). We analyzed blood samples with a high sensitivity assay for C-reactive protein (CRP). Women reported their weight, height, and other covariates. We natural log-transformed CRP and examined it (1) linearly, after exploration using restricted cubic splines and (2) in categories based on American Heart Association criteria. We estimated fecundability ratios (FRs) with log-binomial discrete-time-to-pregnancy models. Separate models included an interaction term with body mass index (BMI). RESULTS The adjusted estimated FR per natural log-unit increase in CRP level was 0.97 (confidence interval [CI] = 0.91, 1.0). The FR (CI) for high CRP (>10 mg/L) compared with low CRP (<1 mg/L) was 0.78 (0.52, 1.2). Compared with normal-weight women with low CRP, women with obesity and high CRP had lower estimated fecundability, but the confidence interval was wide (FR = 0.63; CI = 0.35, 1.1). There was no pattern in the estimated fecundability across levels of CRP within categories of BMI. CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence of an association between CRP and fecundability either alone or within levels of BMI. Further studies of CRP and fecundability should include higher levels of CRP and additional markers of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marie Z Jukic
- From the Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC
| | - Clarice R Weinberg
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC
| | - Sunni L Mumford
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD
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20
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Anderson RA, Kelsey TW, Morrison DS, Wallace WHB. Family size and duration of fertility in female cancer survivors: a population-based analysis. Fertil Steril 2022; 117:387-395. [PMID: 34933761 PMCID: PMC8865032 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess family size and timescale for achieving pregnancy in women who remain fertile after cancer. DESIGN Population-based analysis. SETTING National databases. PATIENT(S) All women diagnosed with cancer before the age of 40 years in Scotland, 1981-2012 (n = 10,267) with no previous pregnancy; each was matched with 3 population controls. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) The number and timing of pregnancy and live birth after cancer diagnosis, to 2018. RESULT(S) In 10,267 cancer survivors, the hazard ratio for a subsequent live birth was 0.56 (95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.58) overall. In women who achieved a subsequent pregnancy, age at live birth increased (mean ± SD, 31.2 ± 5.5 vs. 29.7 ± 6.1 in controls), and the family size was lower (2.0 ± 0.8 vs. 2.3 ± 1.1 live births). These findings were consistent across several diagnoses. The interval from diagnosis to last pregnancy was similar to that of controls (10.7 ± 6.4 vs. 10.9 ± 7.3 years) or significantly increased, for example, after breast cancer (6.2 ± 2.8 vs. 5.3 ± 3.3 years) and Hodgkin lymphoma (11.1 ± 5.1 vs. 10.1 ± 5.8 years). CONCLUSION(S) These data quantify the reduced chance of live birth after cancer. Women who subsequently conceived achieved a smaller family size than matched controls, but the period of time after cancer diagnosis across which pregnancies occurred was similar or, indeed, increased. Thus, we did not find evidence that women who were able to achieve a pregnancy after cancer had a shorter timescale over which they have pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Anderson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Tom W Kelsey
- School of Computer Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | | | - W Hamish B Wallace
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Wesselink AK, Wang TR, Ketzel M, Mikkelsen EM, Brandt J, Khan J, Hertel O, Laursen ASD, Johannesen BR, Willis MD, Levy JI, Rothman KJ, Sørensen HT, Wise LA, Hatch EE. Air pollution and fecundability: Results from a Danish preconception cohort study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2022; 36:57-67. [PMID: 34890081 PMCID: PMC8712376 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal and epidemiologic studies indicate that air pollution may adversely affect fertility. Epidemiologic studies have been restricted largely to couples undergoing fertility treatment or have retrospectively ascertained time-to-pregnancy among pregnant women. OBJECTIVES We examined the association between residential ambient air pollution and fecundability, the per-cycle probability of conception, in a large preconception cohort of Danish pregnancy planners. METHODS During 2007-2018, we used the Internet to recruit and follow women who were trying to conceive without the use of fertility treatment. Participants completed an online baseline questionnaire eliciting socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and medical and reproductive histories and follow-up questionnaires every 8 weeks to ascertain pregnancy status. We determined concentrations of ambient nitrogen oxides (NOx ), nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3 ), particulate matter <2.5 µm (PM2.5 ) and <10 µm (PM10 ), and sulphur dioxide (SO2 ) at each participant's residential address. We calculated average exposure during the year before baseline, during each menstrual cycle over follow-up and during the entire pregnancy attempt time. We used proportional probabilities regression models to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for potential confounders and co-pollutants. The analysis was restricted to the 10,183 participants who were trying to conceive for <12 cycles at study entry whose addresses could be geocoded. RESULTS During 12 months of follow-up, 73% of participants conceived. Higher concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were associated with small reductions in fecundability. For example, the FRs for a one interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 (IQR = 3.2 µg/m3 ) and PM10 (IQR = 5.3 µg/m3 ) during each menstrual cycle were 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.99) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.99), respectively. Other air pollutants were not appreciably associated with fecundability. CONCLUSIONS In this preconception cohort study of Danish women, residential exposures to PM2.5 and PM10 were associated with reduced fecundability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia K. Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tanran R. Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthias Ketzel
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Ellen M. Mikkelsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Brandt
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- iClimate, interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jibran Khan
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Danish Big Data Centre for Environment and Health (BERTHA), Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ole Hertel
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Anne Sofie D. Laursen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Benjamin R. Johannesen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mary D. Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Jonathan I. Levy
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth J. Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Research Triangle Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Henrik T. Sørensen
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lauren A. Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth E. Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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22
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Smarr MM, Mirzaei Salehabadi S, Boyd Barr D, Buck Louis GM, Sundaram R. A multi-pollutant assessment of preconception persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals and incident pregnancy loss. Environ Int 2021; 157:106788. [PMID: 34332300 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A few endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been associated with pregnancy loss often as reported by women, though there has been no study of EDC mixtures and pregnancy loss in keeping with the nature of human exposure. OBJECTIVES To investigate preconception exposure to a mixture of EDCs to identify important drivers and inform multi-pollutant models of EDCs in relation to incident human gonadrophin chorionic (hCG) pregnancy loss. METHODS A cohort of 501 couples were recruited from the general population and prospectively followed until a hCG-confirmed pregnancy or 12 months of trying to become pregnant. Pregnant (n = 344; 69%) women were followed daily through seven weeks post-conception then monthly until delivery. Loss was defined as conversion to negative pregnancy test or a clinical diagnosis. Preconception exposure assessment of EDCs included sixty-three serum chemicals and three blood metals. EDCs were measured using isotope dilution gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry or high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, respectively. Using elastic net variable selection to identify important factors from the exposure mixture, EDC levels and covariates were then included in Cox proportional hazard models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of time-to-pregnancy loss in multi-pollutant models. RESULTS Incidence of hCG pregnancy loss was 28%. Nine EDCs of the sixty-six chemical mixture were associated with pregnancy loss; HRs were elevated for polychlorinated biphenyl 194, 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetate, polybrominated diphenyl ether 28, and cadmium, even in sensitivity models adjusting for male partners' EDC concentrations. In final multivariable multi-pollutant Cox proportional hazard models, female partners'polybrominated diphenyl ether 28 (aHR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.31) and cadmium (aHR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.40) remained associated with hCG pregnancy loss. Female partners' preconception serum polychlorinated biphenyl 194 and 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetate concentrations were consistently inversely associated with loss [(aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.92) and (aHR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.65, 0.95), respectively]. CONCLUSION Assessing exposure to a mixture of 66 persistent EDCs, females' preconception concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ether 28 and cadmium were positively associated with incident hCG pregnancy loss in a cohort of couples from the general population trying for pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa M Smarr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Rajeshwari Sundaram
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Björvang RD, Hassan J, Stefopoulou M, Gemzell-Danielsson K, Pedrelli M, Kiviranta H, Rantakokko P, Ruokojärvi P, Lindh CH, Acharya G, Damdimopoulou P. Persistent organic pollutants and the size of ovarian reserve in reproductive-aged women. Environ Int 2021; 155:106589. [PMID: 33945905 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Industrial chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with reduced fertility in women, including longer time-to-pregnancy (TTP), higher odds for infertility, and earlier reproductive senescence. Fertility is highly dependent on the ovarian reserve, which is composed of a prenatally determined stock of non-growing follicles. The quantity and quality of the follicles decline with age, thereby eventually leading to menopause. In the clinical setting, assessing ovarian reserve directly through the histological analysis of follicular density in ovaries is not practical. Therefore, surrogate markers of ovarian reserve, such as serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) are typically used. Here, we studied associations between chemical exposure and ovarian reserve in a cohort of pregnant women undergoing elective caesarean section (n = 145) in Stockholm, Sweden. Full data (histological, clinical, serum) were available for 50 women. We estimated the size of the reserve both directly by determining the density of follicles in ovarian cortical tissue samples, and indirectly by measuring AMH in associated serum samples. Concentrations of 9 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 10 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 3 polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and 9 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were determined in serum, and clinical data were retrieved from electronic medical records. Healthy follicle densities (median 0, range 0-193 follicles/mm3) and AMH levels (median 2.33 ng/mL, range 0.1-14.8 ng/mL) varied substantially. AMH correlated with the density of growing follicles. Twenty-three chemicals detected in more than half of the samples were included in the analyses. None of the chemicals, alone or as a mixture, correlated with AMH, growing or atretic follicles. However, HCB, transnonachlor, PCBs 74 and 99 were associated with decreased non-growing follicle densities. HCB and transnonachlor were also negatively associated with healthy follicle density. Further, mixture of lipophilic POPs (PBDE 99, p,p'-DDE, and PCB 187) was associated with lower non-growing follicle densities. In addition, exposure to HCB, p,p'-DDE, and mixture of OCPs were significantly associated with higher odds of infertility. The results suggest that exposure to chemicals may reduce the size of ovarian reserve in humans, and strongly encourage to study mechanisms behind POP-associated infertility in women in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richelle D Björvang
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Jasmin Hassan
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Maria Stefopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Kristina Gemzell-Danielsson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Solna, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Matteo Pedrelli
- Division of Clinical Chemistry, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 141 52 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70701 Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70701 Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Päivi Ruokojärvi
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70701 Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Christian H Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 223 61 Lund, Sweden.
| | - Ganesh Acharya
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Polis CB, Cox CM, Tunçalp Ö, McLain AC, Thoma ME. Re: The Use of Time to Pregnancy for Estimating and Monitoring Human Fecundity From Demographic and Health Surveys. Epidemiology 2021; 32:e16-e17. [PMID: 34039895 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea B Polis
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, Guttmacher Institute, New York, NY
| | | | - Özge Tunçalp
- Department of Reproductive Health and Research including UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexander C McLain
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Marie E Thoma
- Department of Family Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
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25
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Ahrenfeldt LJ, Möller S, Wensink MJ, Eisenberg ML, Christensen K, Jensen TK, Lindahl-Jacobsen R. Impaired fecundity as a marker of health and survival: a Danish twin cohort study. Hum Reprod 2021; 36:2309-2320. [PMID: 34009293 PMCID: PMC8496092 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is fecundity, measured as self-reported time to first pregnancy (TTP), a marker for subsequent health and survival? SUMMARY ANSWER Long TTP was a marker for increased mortality among women and higher hospitalization rates for both women and men. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Poor semen quality has been linked to increased mortality and morbidity from a wide range of diseases. Associations among fecundity, health and survival among women are still uncertain and studies on actual measures of fecundity and health outcomes are rare. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION We performed a prospective cohort study of 7825 women and 6279 men, aged 18 and above with measures on first TTP, who participated in one of the Danish nation-wide twin surveys in 1994 (twins born 1953-1976) and 1998 (twins born 1931-1952). They were followed-up for mortality and hospital admissions from the interview until 2018. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Twins were identified in the Danish Twin Registry and linked to Danish registers. TTP was restricted to the first pregnancy as a categorical outcome with cut-off points at 2, 10 and 18 months. We analysed the association between TTP and survival using a Cox proportional hazards model estimating hazards ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Fine-Gray survival models were used to estimate sub-hazard ratios for specific causes of death allowing for competing risks. Using negative binomial regression, we estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% CIs for all-cause and cause-specific hospitalizations. All analyses were stratified by sex and adjusted for age at interview, birth cohorts, age at first attempt to become pregnant, smoking, years in school and BMI. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In the total study population, 49.9% of women and 52.7% of men reported a TTP of less than 2 months, 30.8% of women and 29.6% of men reported a TTP of 2-9 months, 6.6% of women and 5.7% of men reported a TTP of 10-17 months, and 13.3% of women and 12.0% of men reported a TTP of 18 months or more. Among 1305 deaths, we found a higher mortality for women (HR = 1.46; 95% CI 1.15, 1.87) with a TTP of ≥18 months relative to those with a TTP of <2 months, while the highest mortality was indicated for men with a TTP of 10-17 months (HR = 1.31; 95% CI 0.98, 1.74). Among 53 799 hospitalizations, we found an increased hospitalization rate among women (HR = 1.21; 95% CI 1.0-1.41) and men (HR = 1.16; 95% CI 1.00-1.35) with a TTP of ≥18 months, and for men with a TTP of 2-9 months (HR = 1.14; 95% CI 1.01-1.30). A dose-response relationship was found for women regarding both mortality (P = 0.022) and hospitalizations (P = 0.018). Impaired fecundity was associated with a wide range of diseases and some causes of death, indicating a multi-factorial causal influence on fecundity, especially among women. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION A major limitation was that fecundity depends on both partners, which was not considered in this study. Moreover, we could not obtain information on a number of potential confounders. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Fecundity seems positively correlated with overall health and may be a universal marker of future health and survival. These results add knowledge to the limited findings showing that reduced fecundity in women and poor semen quality in men may reflect worse health and a shorter life, particularly among women. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was funded by NIH grant HD096468 (M.L.E., T.K.J. and R.L.J.). The authors declare that they have no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Ahrenfeldt
- Unit of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and
Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern
Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- The Danish Twin Registry, Department of Public
Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - S Möller
- OPEN—Open Patient data Explorative Network,
Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of
Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - M J Wensink
- Unit of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and
Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern
Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Interdisciplinary Centre on Population Dynamics
(CPop), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - M L Eisenberg
- Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Department
of Urology and Obstetrics & Gynecology, Stanford University School of
Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - K Christensen
- Unit of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and
Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern
Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- The Danish Twin Registry, Department of Public
Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and
Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University
Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - T K Jensen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Farmacy and
Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense,
Denmark
| | - R Lindahl-Jacobsen
- Unit of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and
Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern
Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Interdisciplinary Centre on Population Dynamics
(CPop), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Loy SL, Ku CW, Cheung YB, Godfrey KM, Chong YS, Shek LPC, Tan KH, Yap FKP, Bernard JY, Chen H, Chan SY, Tan TY, Chan JKY. Fecundability in reproductive aged women at risk of sexual dysfunction and associated risk factors: a prospective preconception cohort study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2021; 21:444. [PMID: 34172036 PMCID: PMC8228958 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-03892-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a prevalent problem, affecting up to 41% of reproductive aged women worldwide. However, the association between female sexual function (FSF) and fecundability in women attempting to conceive remains unclear. We aimed 1) to examine the association between FSF in reproductive-aged preconception Asian women and fecundability, as measured by time-to-pregnancy in menstrual cycles, and 2) to examine lifestyle and behavioral factors associated with FSF. METHODS From the Singapore PREconception Study of long-Term maternal and child Outcomes (S-PRESTO) prospective cohort, we evaluated FSF using the 6-item Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI-6) and ascertained time-to-pregnancy within a year of baseline assessment. We estimated fecundability ratio (FR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using the discrete-time proportional hazards model, accounting for left-truncation and right censoring. We used multivariable logistic and linear regression models to identify potential factors related to FSF. RESULTS Among 513 participants, 58.9% had low FSF as defined by a total FSFI-6 score at or below the median value of 22. Compared to women with high FSF, those with low FSF had a 27% reduction in fecundability (FR 0.73; 95% CI 0.54, 0.99), with adjustment for age, ethnicity, education, parity and body mass index. Overall, the FRs generally reduced with decreasing FSFI-6 scores. Physical activity, obesity, absence of probable depression and anxiety were independently associated with reduced odds of low FSF and increased FSFI-6 scores, after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Low FSF is associated with a longer time-to-pregnancy. Early evaluation and optimization of FSF through increased physical activity and optimal mental health may help to improve female fecundity. The finding of obese women having improved FSF remains uncertain which warrants further investigations on plausibly mechanisms. In general, the current finding highlights the importance of addressing FSF in preconception care service for general women, which is currently lacking as part of the fertility promotion effort in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- See Ling Loy
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, 229899 Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 117609 Singapore
| | - Chee Wai Ku
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, 229899 Singapore
| | - Yin Bun Cheung
- Program in Health Services & Systems Research and Center for Quantitative Medicine, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Keith M. Godfrey
- Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD UK
- National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, SO16 6YD UK
| | - Yap-Seng Chong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 117609 Singapore
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
| | - Lynette Pei-Chi Shek
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 117609 Singapore
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children’s Medical Institute, National University Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore, 119074 Singapore
| | - Kok Hian Tan
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
- Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, 229899 Singapore
| | - Fabian Kok Peng Yap
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
- Department of Paediatrics, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, 229899 Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 636921 Singapore
| | - Jonathan Y. Bernard
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 117609 Singapore
- Université de Paris, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Inserm, INRAE, F75004 Paris, France
| | - Helen Chen
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
- Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, 229899 Singapore
| | - Shiao-Yng Chan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 117609 Singapore
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
| | - Tse Yeun Tan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, 229899 Singapore
| | - Jerry Kok Yen Chan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, 229899 Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
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Basso O, Willis SK, Hatch EE, Mikkelsen EM, Rothman KJ, Wise LA. Maternal age at birth and daughter's fecundability. Hum Reprod 2021; 36:1970-1980. [PMID: 33860312 PMCID: PMC8213449 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Do daughters of older mothers have lower fecundability? SUMMARY ANSWER In this cohort study of North American pregnancy planners, there was virtually no association between maternal age ≥35 years and daughters' fecundability. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Despite suggestive evidence that daughters of older mothers may have lower fertility, only three retrospective studies have examined the association between maternal age and daughter's fecundability. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Prospective cohort study of 6689 pregnancy planners enrolled between March 2016 and January 2020. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO) is an ongoing pre-conception cohort study of pregnancy planners (age, 21-45 years) from the USA and Canada. We estimated fecundability ratios (FR) for maternal age at the participant's birth using multivariable proportional probabilities regression models. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Daughters of mothers ≥30 years were less likely to have previous pregnancies (or pregnancy attempts) or risk factors for infertility, although they were more likely to report that their mother had experienced problems conceiving. The proportion of participants with prior unplanned pregnancies, a birth before age 21, ≥3 cycles of attempt at study entry or no follow-up was greater among daughters of mothers <25 years. Compared with maternal age 25-29 years, FRs (95% CI) for maternal age <20, 20-24, 30-34, and ≥35 were 0.72 (0.61, 0.84), 0.92 (0.85, 1.00), 1.08 (1.00, 1.17), and 1.00 (0.89, 1.12), respectively. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Although the examined covariates did not meaningfully affect the associations, we had limited information on the participants' mother. Differences by maternal age in reproductive history, infertility risk factors and loss to follow-up suggest that selection bias may partly explain our results. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our finding that maternal age 35 years or older was not associated with daughter's fecundability is reassuring, considering the trend towards delayed childbirth. However, having been born to a young mother may be a marker of low fecundability among pregnancy planners. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) PRESTO was funded by NICHD Grants (R21-HD072326 and R01-HD086742) and has received in-kind donations from Swiss Precision Diagnostics, FertilityFriend.com, Kindara.com, and Sandstone Diagnostics. Dr Wise is a fibroid consultant for AbbVie, Inc. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER n/a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Basso
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H3A 1A2, Canada
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sydney K Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth E Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ellen M Mikkelsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kenneth J Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Ramadanov N, Bueschges S, Liu K, Lazaru P, Marintschev I. Comparison of short-term outcomes between direct anterior approach (DAA) and SuperPATH in total hip replacement: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Orthop Surg Res 2021; 16:324. [PMID: 34016136 PMCID: PMC8136223 DOI: 10.1186/s13018-021-02315-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Two minimally invasive approaches showed some advantages in outcomes compared to conventional approaches (CAs)-the direct anterior approach (DAA) and the supercapsular percutaneously assisted approach in THA (SuperPATH). To the best of our knowledge, DAA and SuperPATH have never been compared, neither in clinical studies, nor in a meta-analysis. To conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing short-term outcomes of DAA and SuperPATH in total hip joint arthroplasty (THA). METHODS A systematic literature search up to May 2020 was performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing SuperPATH with CAs and DAA with CAs in THA. We measured surgical, functional, and radiological outcomes. A network meta-analysis, using frequentist methods, was performed to assess treatment effects between DAA and SuperPATH. Information was borrowed from the above-mentioned RCTs, using the CA group as a common comparator. RESULTS A total of 16 RCTs involving 1392 patients met the inclusion criteria, three trials with a level I evidence, 13 trials with a level II evidence. The overall network meta-analysis showed that SuperPATH reduced operation time (fixed effect model: MD = 12.8, 95% CI 9.9 to 15.7), incision length (fixed effect model: MD = 4.3, 95% CI 4.0 to 4.5; random effect model: MD = 4.3, 95% CI 0.2 to 8.4), intraoperative blood loss (fixed effect model: MD = 58.6, 95% CI 40.4 to 76.8), and early pain intensity (VAS 1 day postoperatively with a fixed effect model: MD = 0.8, 95% CI 0.4 to 1.2). The two approaches did not differ in acetabular cup positioning angles and in functional outcome. CONCLUSIONS Our overall findings suggested that the short-term outcomes of THA through SuperPATH were superior to DAA. SuperPATH showed better results in decreasing operation time, incision length, intraoperative blood loss, and early pain intensity. DAA and SuperPATH were equal in functional outcome and acetabular cup positioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolai Ramadanov
- Clinic for Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.
| | - Simon Bueschges
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Statistics, University of Salamanca, Calle Espejo 2, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Kuiliang Liu
- Department for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Siloah St. Trudpert Hospital, Wilferdinger Str. 67, 75179, Pforzheim, Germany
| | - Philip Lazaru
- Center for Surgery, Evangelical Hospital Ludwigsfelde-Teltow, Albert-Schweitzer-Str. 40-44, 14974, Ludwigsfelde, Germany
| | - Ivan Marintschev
- Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
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Pons R, Boulanger M, Tual S, Busson A, Renier M, Perrier S, Levêque-Morlais N, Marcotullio E, Baldi I, Lebailly P. Agriculture Exposure and Time to Pregnancy Among Women Enrolled in the French Prospective Cohort AGRICAN. J Occup Environ Med 2021; 63:432-440. [PMID: 33928937 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In few retrospective studies, prolonged time-to-pregnancy (TTP) was observed for women exposed to pesticides especially in flower production. The present study investigated time-to-pregnancy in the AGRICAN cohort. METHODS Analyses were performed on 616 women reporting a pregnancy (2005 to 2017), and data on agricultural activities performed before the last pregnancy was retrospectively collected. Fecundability odds ratios (fOR) were estimated using a discrete time analogue of Cox proportional hazard model adjusted on maternal and paternal age, body mass index (BMI), and alcohol consumption. RESULTS A decrease in fecundability was non-significantly associated with farm work (adjusted fOR = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71 to 1.05). Decreases were also observed for nightwork (afOR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.49 to 1.15) and exposure to vibrations (afOR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.43 to 1.09). CONCLUSION Women working on a farm before conception appeared to experience a longer TTP. Negative associations were suggested for some agricultural activities and working conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Pons
- Université de Caen Normandie (Dr Pons, Dr Boulanger, Ms Busson, Ms Renier, Dr Lebailly), France; French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm); Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 1086 ANTICIPE (Dr Pons, Dr Boulanger, Dr Tual, Ms Busson, Ms Renier, Ms Perrier, Ms Levêque-Morlais, Dr Lebailly), Caen, France; Comprehensive Cancer Centrer François Baclesse (Dr Boulanger, Dr Tual, Ms Perrier, Ms Levêque-Morlais, Dr Lebailly) Caen, France; Central Agricultural Social Insurance (CCMSA), Echelon National Santé Sécurité au Travail, Bobigny (Dr Marcotullio), France; French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), Population Health Research Center, Team EPICENE Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 1219, Université de Bordeaux (Dr Baldi), France; CHU de Bordeaux, Pôle de Santé Publique, Service Santé Travail Environnement (Dr Baldi), Bordeaux, France
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Kahn LG, Harley KG, Siegel EL, Zhu Y, Factor-Litvak P, Porucznik CA, Klein-Fedyshin M, Hipwell AE. Persistent organic pollutants and couple fecundability: a systematic review. Hum Reprod Update 2021; 27:339-366. [PMID: 33147335 PMCID: PMC7903116 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmaa037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite increasing regulation, exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) remains a serious public health concern due to their accumulation in the environment and ability to biomagnify up the food chain. POPs are associated with endocrine-disrupting effects including adverse reproductive outcomes that could affect fecundability, i.e. the capacity to conceive a pregnancy, quantified as time to pregnancy (TTP). OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE Results of epidemiologic studies that examine the impact of various chemical classes of POPs on TTP have not been synthesised. We undertook a systematic review to summarise the strength of evidence for associations of four common groups of POPs with couple fecundability and to identify gaps and limitations in the literature in order to inform policy decisions and future research. SEARCH METHODS We performed an electronic search of literature published between 1 January 2007 and 6 August 2019 in MEDLINE, EMBASE.com, Global Health, DART/TOXLINE and POPLINE. We included empirical research papers that examined human exposure to organochlorine (OC) pesticides, brominated flame retardants, polychlorinated organic compounds and/or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and considered TTP or fecundability as an outcome. Standardised forms for screening, data extraction and study quality were developed using DistillerSR software, and all reviews were completed in duplicate. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess risk of bias and devised additional quality metrics based on specific methodological features of fecundability studies. OUTCOMES The search returned 4573 articles, and 28 papers from 19 different studies met inclusion criteria. Among them, four studies measured TTP prospectively, three had data on participants' prenatal exposure, three examined associations in both male and female partners and one focused exclusively on males. Analyses varied widely in terms of exposure characterisation, precluding a meta-analytic approach. Evidence was strongest for adverse associations of female exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls with TTP, with some additional support for associations of female exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and PFAS with longer TTP. Our review provided little or no support for associations between female exposure to OC pesticides or male exposure to any of the POP groups and TTP. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Evidence suggests that female exposure to at least some POPs may reduce fecundability. Although many of these chemicals are no longer in production, they are still detectable in human biosamples because of their persistence in the environment. Replacement chemicals that are being introduced as older ones are restricted may have similar reproductive consequences. Future studies should examine these newer POPs, assess interactions between POPs and other chemical and non-chemical exposures, investigate how POPs are distributed in and metabolised by the human body and focus on populations that may be disproportionately exposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda G Kahn
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Kim G Harley
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Eva L Siegel
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yeyi Zhu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA 94612, USA
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christina A Porucznik
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | | | - Alison E Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND In vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments conventionally consist of a fresh embryo transfer, possibly followed by one or more cryopreserved embryo transfers in subsequent cycles. An alternative option is to freeze all suitable embryos and transfer cryopreserved embryos in subsequent cycles only, which is known as the 'freeze all' strategy. This is the first update of the Cochrane Review on this comparison. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the freeze all strategy compared to the conventional IVF/ICSI strategy in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology. SEARCH METHODS We searched the Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and two registers of ongoing trials from inception until 23 September 2020 for relevant studies, checked references of publications found, and contacted study authors to obtain additional data. SELECTION CRITERIA Two review authors (TZ and MZ) independently selected studies for inclusion, assessed risk of bias, and extracted study data. We included randomised controlled trials comparing a 'freeze all' strategy with a conventional IVF/ICSI strategy including a fresh embryo transfer in women undergoing IVF or ICSI treatment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS The primary outcomes were cumulative live birth rate and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Secondary outcomes included effectiveness outcomes (including ongoing pregnancy rate and clinical pregnancy rate), time to pregnancy and obstetric, perinatal and neonatal outcomes. MAIN RESULTS We included 15 studies in the systematic review and eight studies with a total of 4712 women in the meta-analysis. The overall evidence was of moderate to low quality. We graded all the outcomes and downgraded due to serious risk of bias, serious imprecision and serious unexplained heterogeneity. Risk of bias was associated with unclear blinding of investigators for preliminary outcomes of the study during the interim analysis, unit of analysis error, and absence of adequate study termination rules. There was an absence of high-quality evidence according to GRADE assessments for our primary outcomes, which is reflected in the cautious language below. There is probably little or no difference in cumulative live birth rate between the 'freeze all' strategy and the conventional IVF/ICSI strategy (odds ratio (OR) 1.08, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.22; I2 = 0%; 8 RCTs, 4712 women; moderate-quality evidence). This suggests that for a cumulative live birth rate of 58% following the conventional strategy, the cumulative live birth rate following the 'freeze all' strategy would be between 57% and 63%. Women might develop less OHSS after the 'freeze all' strategy compared to the conventional IVF/ICSI strategy (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.39; I2 = 0%; 6 RCTs, 4478 women; low-quality evidence). These data suggest that for an OHSS rate of 3% following the conventional strategy, the rate following the 'freeze all' strategy would be 1%. There is probably little or no difference between the two strategies in the cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.19; I2 = 31%; 4 RCTs, 1245 women; moderate-quality evidence). We could not analyse time to pregnancy; by design, time to pregnancy is shorter in the conventional strategy than in the 'freeze all' strategy when the cumulative live birth rate is comparable, as embryo transfer is delayed in a 'freeze all' strategy. We are uncertain whether the two strategies differ in cumulative miscarriage rate because the evidence is very low quality (Peto OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.55; I2 = 55%; 2 RCTs, 986 women; very low-quality evidence) and cumulative multiple-pregnancy rate (Peto OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.25; I2 = 63%; 2 RCTs, 986 women; very low-quality evidence). The risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (Peto OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.42 to 3.25; I2 = 29%; 3 RCTs, 3940 women; low-quality evidence), having a large-for-gestational-age baby (Peto OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.51 to 2.55; I2 = 0%; 3 RCTs, 3940 women; low-quality evidence) and a higher birth weight of the children born (mean difference (MD) 127 g, 95% CI 77.1 to 177.8; I2 = 0%; 5 RCTs, 1607 singletons; moderate-quality evidence) may be increased following the 'freeze all' strategy. We are uncertain whether the two strategies differ in the risk of having a small-for-gestational-age baby because the evidence is low quality (Peto OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.05; I2 = 64%; 3 RCTs, 3940 women; low-quality evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We found moderate-quality evidence showing that one strategy is probably not superior to the other in terms of cumulative live birth rate and ongoing pregnancy rate. The risk of OHSS may be decreased in the 'freeze all' strategy. Based on the results of the included studies, we could not analyse time to pregnancy. It is likely to be shorter using a conventional IVF/ICSI strategy with fresh embryo transfer in the case of similar cumulative live birth rate, as embryo transfer is delayed in a 'freeze all' strategy. The risk of maternal hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, of having a large-for-gestational-age baby and a higher birth weight of the children born may be increased following the 'freeze all' strategy. We are uncertain if 'freeze all' strategy reduces the risk of miscarriage, multiple pregnancy rate or having a small-for-gestational-age baby compared to conventional IVF/ICSI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjitske Zaat
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Miriam Zagers
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Femke Mol
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Mariëtte Goddijn
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Madelon van Wely
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sebastiaan Mastenbroek
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Harlow AF, Hatch EE, Wesselink AK, Rothman KJ, Wise LA. Electronic Cigarettes and Fecundability: Results From a Prospective Preconception Cohort Study. Am J Epidemiol 2021; 190:353-361. [PMID: 32378702 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwaa067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) aerosol contains similar toxicants to combustible cigarettes, few studies have examined their influence on fecundability. We assessed the association between e-cigarette use and fecundability, overall and according to combustible cigarette smoking history, in a cohort of 4,586 North American women (aged 21-45 years) enrolled during 2017-2020 in Pregnancy Study Online, a Web-based prospective preconception study. Women reported current and former e-cigarette use on baseline and follow-up questionnaires, and they completed bimonthly follow-up questionnaires until self-reported pregnancy or censoring. Fecundability ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using proportional probabilities models, controlling for potential confounders. Overall, 17% of women had ever used e-cigarettes and 4% were current users. Compared with never use of e-cigarettes, current e-cigarette use was associated with slightly lower fecundability (fecundability ratio = 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67, 1.06). Compared with current nonusers of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes, fecundability ratios were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.54, 1.29) for current dual users of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes, 0.91 (95% CI: 0.70, 1.18) for current e-cigarette users who were nonsmokers of combustible cigarettes, and 1.01 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.20) for nonusers of e-cigarettes who were current smokers of combustible cigarettes. Current e-cigarette use was associated with slightly reduced fecundability, but estimates of its independent and joint associations with combustible cigarette smoking were inconsistent and imprecise.
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Keiding N, Ali MM, Eriksson F, Matsaseng T, Toskin I, Kiarie J. The Use of Time to Pregnancy for Estimating and Monitoring Human Fecundity From Demographic and Health Surveys. Epidemiology 2021; 32:27-35. [PMID: 33259462 PMCID: PMC7707157 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Available studies on the prevalence of infertility have proved to have certain limitations, with a scarcity of population-based studies and inconsistent reporting from surveys in countries at all income levels. We wanted to test the applicability of the current duration approach to data from the important Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program, funded by USAID since its inception in 1985, https://dhsprogram.com/. METHODS The current duration approach assumes that there is a well-defined time of initiation of attempts to get pregnant and defines the current duration of a still ongoing pregnancy attempt as the time interval from initiation to interview. The DHS interviews do not have an explicit question about initiation. We focused on nullipari and substituted date of "establishment of relationship with current partner" for initiation. Our study used the current duration approach on 15 datasets from DHS during 2002-2016 in eight different countries from sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. RESULTS Well-established statistical techniques for current duration data yielded results that for some countries postulated surprisingly long median times to pregnancy and surprisingly high estimates of infertility prevalence. Further study of the data structures revealed serious deviations from expected patterns, in contrast to our earlier experience from surveys in France and the United States where participants were asked explicitly about time of initiation of attempts to become pregnant. CONCLUSIONS Using cohabitation as a proxy for the initiation of attempts to get pregnant is too crude. Using the current duration approach with DHS data will require more explicit questions during the DHS interviews about initiation of pregnancy attempt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Keiding
- From the Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen. Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Mohamed M. Ali
- Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (SRH), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Frank Eriksson
- From the Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen. Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Thabo Matsaseng
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Stellenbosch University/Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Igor Toskin
- Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (SRH), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - James Kiarie
- Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (SRH), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Schrager NL, Wesselink AK, Wang TR, Hatch EE, Rothman KJ, Mikkelsen EM, Boynton-Jarrett RD, Wise LA. Association of income and education with fecundability in a North American preconception cohort. Ann Epidemiol 2020; 50:41-47.e1. [PMID: 32681982 PMCID: PMC7541799 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to evaluate socioeconomic determinants of fecundability. METHODS Among 8654 female pregnancy planners from Pregnancy Study Online, a North American prospective cohort study (2013-2019), we examined associations between socioeconomic status and fecundability (the per-cycle probability of conception). Information on income and education was collected via baseline questionnaires. Bimonthly follow-up questionnaires were used to ascertain pregnancy status. We estimated fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using proportional probabilities regression, controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS Relative to an annual household income of greater than or equal to $150,000, adjusted FRs were 0.91 (95% CI: 0.83-1.01) for less than $50,000, 0.99 (95% CI: 0.92-1.07) for $50,000-$99,000, and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.01-1.18) for $100,000-$149,000. FRs for less than 12, 13-15, and 16 years of education, relative to greater than or equal to 17 years, were 0.90 (95% CI: 0.76-1.08), 0.84 (95% CI: 0.78-0.91), and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.84-0.95), respectively. Slightly stronger associations for income and education were seen among older women. CONCLUSIONS Lower levels of education and income were associated with modestly reduced fecundability. These results demonstrate the presence of socioeconomic disparities in fecundability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina L Schrager
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
| | - Amelia K Wesselink
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Tanran R Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Elizabeth E Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Kenneth J Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA; RTI Health Solutions, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Ellen M Mikkelsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
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Xu HY, Jiang H, Feng GS, Feng Y, Han Y, Tang WH, Zhang HX, Chen FH, Zhang HX, Liu DF, Li R, Qiao J. Establishing the lower limits of total serum testosterone among Chinese proven fertile men who received treatment of assisted reproductive technology. Asian J Androl 2020; 22:396-400. [PMID: 31571639 PMCID: PMC7406106 DOI: 10.4103/aja.aja_100_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Testosterone (T) plays a crucial role in spermatogenesis because extremely low levels of intratesticular T lead to correspondingly low serum levels of total T (tT), severe disorders of spermatogenesis, and male sterility. However, there is little consensus on the lower limits of serum tT in proven fertile men undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatments in Chinese or other Asian populations. We aimed to establish the reference range of serum tT based on a population of 868 fertile Chinese men undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) treatments. We defined a fertile man as having had a live baby with his partner as recorded in our IVF registration system. The lower limits of serum tT were established using a Siemens IMMULITE 2000 chemiluminescent system. The 1st, 2.5th, and 5th percentiles and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 3.6 (95% CI: 2.7-4.1) nmol l-1, 4.3 (95% CI: 4.1-5.0) nmol l-1, and 5.6 (95% CI: 4.8-5.8) nmol l-1, respectively. Using the linear correlation of serum tT between the Siemens platform and a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry platform, the calculated lower limits of serum tT were also established for fertile Chinese men undergoing IVF/ICSI-ET treatments, which will benefit the clinical diagnosis and treatment of male infertility during such procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Yu Xu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hui Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Guo-Shuang Feng
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Ying Feng
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yong Han
- Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Wen-Hao Tang
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hong-Xian Zhang
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Feng-Hua Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hong-Xia Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - De-Feng Liu
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Rong Li
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
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van Rijswijk J, van Welie N, Dreyer K, Pham CT, Verhoeve HR, Hoek A, de Bruin JP, Nap AW, van Hooff MHA, Goddijn M, Hooker AB, Bourdrez P, van Dongen AJCM, van Rooij IAJ, van Rijnsaardt-Lukassen HGM, van Golde RJT, van Heteren CF, Pelinck MJ, Duijn AEJ, Kaplan M, Lambalk CB, Mijatovic V, Mol BWJ. Tubal flushing with oil-based or water-based contrast at hysterosalpingography for infertility: long-term reproductive outcomes of a randomized trial. Fertil Steril 2020; 114:155-162. [PMID: 32553471 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of oil-based versus water-based contrast on pregnancy and live birth rates ≤5 years after hysterosalpingography (HSG) in infertile women. DESIGN A 5-year follow-up study of a multicenter randomized trial. SETTING Hospitals. PATIENT(S) Infertile women with an ovulatory cycle, 18-39 years of age, and having a low risk of tubal pathology. INTERVENTION(S) Use of oil-based versus water-based contrast during HSG. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Ongoing pregnancy, live births, time to ongoing pregnancy, second ongoing pregnancy. RESULT(S) A total of 1,119 women were randomly assigned to HSG with oil-based contrast (n = 557) or water-based contrast (n = 562). After 5 years, 444 of 555 women in the oil group (80.0%) and 419 of 559 women in the water group (75.0%) had an ongoing pregnancy (relative risk [RR] 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.14), and 415 of 555 women in the oil group (74.8%) and 376 of 559 women in the water group (67.3%) had live births (RR 1.11; 95% CI 1.03-1.20). In the oil group, 228 pregnancies (41.1%) were conceived naturally versus 194 (34.7%) pregnancies in the water group (RR 1.18; 95% CI 1.02-1.38). The time to ongoing pregnancy was significantly shorter in the oil group versus the water group (10.0 vs. 13.7 months; hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% CI 1.09-1.43). No difference was found in the occurrence of a second ongoing pregnancy. CONCLUSION(S) During a 5-year time frame, ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates are higher after tubal flushing with oil-based contrast during HSG compared with water-based contrast. More pregnancies are naturally conceived and time to ongoing pregnancy is shorter after HSG with oil-based contrast. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Netherlands Trial Register (NTR) 3270 and NTR6577(www.trialregister.nl).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joukje van Rijswijk
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Nienke van Welie
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kim Dreyer
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Clarabelle T Pham
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Victoria, Australia
| | - Harold R Verhoeve
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Amsterdam; the Netherlands
| | - Annemieke Hoek
- Department of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Peter de Bruin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands
| | - Annemiek W Nap
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, the Netherlands
| | - Machiel H A van Hooff
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Franciscus Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mariëtte Goddijn
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Angelo B Hooker
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Zaans Medical Centre, Zaandam, the Netherlands
| | - Petra Bourdrez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, VieCuri Medical Centre, Venlo, the Netherlands
| | | | - Ilse A J van Rooij
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, the Netherlands
| | | | - Ron J T van Golde
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht UMC, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Cathelijne F van Heteren
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Marie J Pelinck
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Scheper Hospital, Emmen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Mesrure Kaplan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Röpcke-Zweers Hospital, Hardenberg, the Netherlands
| | - Cornelis B Lambalk
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Velja Mijatovic
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ben W J Mol
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Björvang RD, Gennings C, Lin PI, Hussein G, Kiviranta H, Rantakokko P, Ruokojärvi P, Lindh CH, Damdimopoulou P, Bornehag CG. Persistent organic pollutants, pre-pregnancy use of combined oral contraceptives, age, and time-to-pregnancy in the SELMA cohort. Environ Health 2020; 19:67. [PMID: 32539770 PMCID: PMC7294652 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-020-00608-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We are exposed to several chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in our everyday lives. Prior evidence has suggested that POPs may have adverse effects on reproductive function by disrupting hormone synthesis and metabolism. While there is age-related decline of fertility, the use of hormonal combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and its association to return of fertility remains controversial. The goal of this study is to investigate the association between exposure to POPs, both individually and as a mixture, and fecundability measured as time-to-pregnancy (TTP) according to pre-pregnancy use of COCs and age. METHODS Using the SELMA (Swedish Environmental Longitudinal Mother and Child, Allergy and Asthma) study, we have identified 818 pregnant women aged 18-43 years (mean 29 years) with data on how long they tried to get pregnant and what was their most recently used contraceptive method. These data were collected at enrollment to the study (median week 10 of pregnancy). Concentrations of 22 POPs and cotinine were analyzed in the blood samples collected at the same time as the questions on TTP and pre-pregnancy use of contraceptive. Analyses were done on the association between POPs exposure and TTP measured as continuous (months) and binary (infertile for those with TTP > 12 months). To study the chemicals individually, Cox regression and logistic regression were used to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs) and odds ratios (ORs), respectively. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was used to investigate the chemicals as a mixture where chemicals of concern were identified above the 7.6% threshold of equal weights. To perform the subgroup analysis, we stratified the sample according to use of COCs as the most recent pre-pregnancy contraception method and age (< 29 years, and ≥ 29 years). The models were adjusted for parity, regularity of menses, maternal body mass index (BMI) and smoking status, and stratified as described above. RESULTS Prior to stratification, none of the POPs were associated with fecundability while increased exposure to HCB, PCB 74 and 118 had higher odds of infertility. Upon stratification, POP exposure was significantly associated with longer TTP in women aged ≥29 years who did not use COC. Specifically, PCBs 156, 180, 183, and 187 were associated with reduced fecundability while PCBs 99, 153, 156, 180, 183, and 187 had higher odds of infertility. As a mixture, we identified the chemicals of concern for a longer TTP include PCBs 118, 156, 183, and 187. Moreover, chemicals of concern identified with increased odds of infertility were PCB 74, 156, 183, 187, and transnonachlor. CONCLUSION Serum concentrations of selected POPs, both as individual chemicals and as a mixture, were significantly associated with lower fecundability and increased odds of infertility in women aged 29 years and above not using COC as their most recent pre-pregnancy contraceptive. Our findings suggest that pre-pregnancy use of oral contraceptive and age may modify the link between POPs and fecundability. The differences of specific chemicals in the individual analysis and as a mixture support the need to study combination effects of chemicals when evaluating reproductive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richelle D. Björvang
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Unit of Toxicology Sciences, Swetox, Karolinska Institute, Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Chris Gennings
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Ping-I Lin
- Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Ghada Hussein
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karlstad Central Hospital, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Päivi Ruokojärvi
- Department of Health Security, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Christian H. Lindh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Unit of Toxicology Sciences, Swetox, Karolinska Institute, Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Carl-Gustaf Bornehag
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
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Ursin K, Lydersen S, Skomsvoll JF, Salvesen KÅ, S S Koksvik H, Jakobsen B, Wallenius M. Factors Associated With Time to Pregnancy in Women With Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Registry-Based Multicenter Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2020; 73:1201-1209. [PMID: 32353185 DOI: 10.1002/acr.24233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study was undertaken to study time to pregnancy (TTP) and factors associated with TTP in women with axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) compared to women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS We included 274 women with axial SpA and 317 women with RA from the Norwegian nationwide registry RevNatus. For all the women, we had retrospectively collected data on TTP, and a subgroup also had prospectively collected data. We compared TTP in women with axial SpA to women with RA using Kaplan-Meier plots and a log rank test. To identify factors associated with TTP, we used Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS TTP exceeded 12 months in 21% of women with axial SpA. In the subgroup followed prospectively, 32% had TTP that exceeded 12 months. Longer TTP was associated with older age, nulliparity, and longer disease duration, with hazard ratios of 0.97 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.94-1.00), 0.66 (95% CI 0.50-0.88), and 0.94 (95% CI 0.91-0.98), respectively. Disease activity, medication, and self-reported health-related quality of life were not associated with TTP. We found no statistically significant differences between axial SpA and RA in regard to TTP. CONCLUSION In women with axial SpA, longer TTP was associated with older age, nulliparity, and longer disease duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Ursin
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Pregnancy and Rheumatic Diseases, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital and Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Stian Lydersen
- Regional Center for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Johan F Skomsvoll
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Pregnancy and Rheumatic Diseases, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kjell Å Salvesen
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology and St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Hege S S Koksvik
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Pregnancy and Rheumatic Diseases, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bente Jakobsen
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Pregnancy and Rheumatic Diseases, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Marianne Wallenius
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Pregnancy and Rheumatic Diseases, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital and Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Abstract
METHODS Observational, comparative, prospective, multicenter study (n = 425). Group 1 (n = 228) received estradiol hemihydrate (Divigel, Orion Corporation, Finland), group 2 (n = 197) received oral estradiol valerate (Proginova, Delpharm Lille, France). RESULTS An increase in endometrial thickness was comparable (10.1 (2.0) mm versus 10.0 (2.3) mm; p = .571). There was significantly shorter mean duration of estrogen therapy (13.9 (3.9) days versus 14.7 (4.7) days; p = .038) and lower total dose in group 1 (43.6 (27.3) mg versus (71.9 (37.2) mg; p = .0001). Pregnancy rates were comparable (143/228 (62.7%) versus 105/197 (53.3%); p = .077) so as "take home baby" rates (80/228 (35.1%) versus 68/197 (34.5%); p = .077). CONCLUSION Estrogens improve the state of the endometrium and increase pregnancy rates in cases of thin endometrium in in vitro fertilization programs. The use of transdermal estrogens (Divigel, Orion Corporation, Finland) ensures an adequate increase in endometrial thickness and significantly lower estrogen doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Vartanyan
- LLCAssisted Reproductive Technology Clinic "Test-Tube Babies", Moscow, Russia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russia, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kristina Tsaturova
- LLCAssisted Reproductive Technology Clinic "Test-Tube Babies", Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Devyatova
- LLCAssisted Reproductive Technology Clinic "Test-Tube Babies", Moscow, Russia
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van Eekelen R, Putter H, McLernon DJ, Eijkemans MJ, van Geloven N. A comparison of the beta-geometric model with landmarking for dynamic prediction of time to pregnancy. Biom J 2020; 62:175-190. [PMID: 31738461 PMCID: PMC6973003 DOI: 10.1002/bimj.201900155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a simulation study to compare two methods that have been recently used in clinical literature for the dynamic prediction of time to pregnancy. The first is landmarking, a semi-parametric method where predictions are updated as time progresses using the patient subset still at risk at that time point. The second is the beta-geometric model that updates predictions over time from a parametric model estimated on all data and is specific to applications with a discrete time to event outcome. The beta-geometric model introduces unobserved heterogeneity by modelling the chance of an event per discrete time unit according to a beta distribution. Due to selection of patients with lower chances as time progresses, the predicted probability of an event decreases over time. Both methods were recently used to develop models predicting the chance to conceive naturally. The advantages, disadvantages and accuracy of these two methods are unknown. We simulated time-to-pregnancy data according to different scenarios. We then compared the two methods by the following out-of-sample metrics: bias and root mean squared error in the average prediction, root mean squared error in individual predictions, Brier score and c statistic. We consider different scenarios including data-generating mechanisms for which the models are misspecified. We applied the two methods on a clinical dataset comprising 4999 couples. Finally, we discuss the pros and cons of the two methods based on our results and present recommendations for use of either of the methods in different settings and (effective) sample sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rik van Eekelen
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical CentreUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Hein Putter
- Medical Statistics, Department of Biomedical Data SciencesLeiden University Medical CentreLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - David J. McLernon
- Medical Statistics TeamInstitute of Applied Health SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
| | - Marinus J. Eijkemans
- Department of Biostatistics and Research Support, Julius CentreUniversity Medical Centre UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Nan van Geloven
- Medical Statistics, Department of Biomedical Data SciencesLeiden University Medical CentreLeidenThe Netherlands
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Molina-García L, Hidalgo-Ruiz M, Cocera-Ruíz EM, Conde-Puertas E, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Martínez-Galiano JM. The delay of motherhood: Reasons, determinants, time used to achieve pregnancy, and maternal anxiety level. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0227063. [PMID: 31887126 PMCID: PMC6936780 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fertility in recent decades in European countries such as Norway, Spain or United Kingdom has declined, while in others such as Portugal, it has remained relatively constant, and in others such as Germany fertility rated have risen. The determinants of this change in reproductive pattern can be explained by the cultural, social, and economic changes that took place in our society. Objective: to identify the principal reasons and independent determinants associated with the postponement of motherhood and document any association between the time taken to achieve successful pregnancy and maternal age, as well as the level of anxiety of these women. METHODS An observational study, including 326 women, was conducted in Spain with primiparous women, in which data was collected on sociodemographic, health, and pregnancy-related factors. Comparison of means (t-test or analysis of variance) and the analysis of covariance was used to estimate adjusted means for potential confounders. RESULTS Women in stable relationships became mothers at older ages (31.83±0.29) than those who were not (28.75±0.78) (p<0.001). Women who delayed motherhood for medical reasons had a mean age of 34.15 ± 0.88 years, compared to a mean of 30.52±0.36 years for personal reasons, and 27.51±1.39 years for other reasons. Mothers with an older age had a higher level of anxiety (p<0.05). The average time required to achieve pregnancy increased as maternal age increased, with an average time of 24 months for women with a mean age of 35.23±0.71 years compared to <3 months for women with a mean age of 29.44±0.39 years. Women ≥ 35 years were more likely to need medical assistance to achieve pregnancy (aOR = 12.07, 95% CI: 1.50-97.05; p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS Medical reasons were among those cited for delaying motherhood. The postponement of motherhood was associated with difficulty to achieve a successful pregnancy and a higher level of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Molina-García
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Complejo Hospitalario de Jaén, Andalucia, Jaén, Spain
| | - Manuel Hidalgo-Ruiz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital San Juan de la Cruz, Andalucia, Úbeda, Spain
| | - Eva María Cocera-Ruíz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital San Agustín, Andalucia, Linares, Spain
| | - Esther Conde-Puertas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital San Agustín, Andalucia, Linares, Spain
| | - Miguel Delgado-Rodríguez
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, Andalucia, Jaén, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Comunidad de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Miguel Martínez-Galiano
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Comunidad de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Nursing, University of Jaén, Andalucia, Jaén, Spain
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Jukic AMZ, Baird DD, Weinberg CR, Wilcox AJ, McConnaughey DR, Steiner AZ. Pre-conception 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and fecundability. Hum Reprod 2019; 34:2163-2172. [PMID: 31665286 PMCID: PMC7209776 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dez170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is pre-conception 25(OH)D associated with the per cycle probability of conception, i.e fecundability, in a prospective cohort study? SUMMARY ANSWER There are suggestive associations of high 25(OH)D (at least 50 ng/ml) with increased fecundability and low 25(OH)D (<20 ng/ml) with reduced fecundability, but the estimates were imprecise. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Vitamin D has been associated with reproductive function and fertility in animal studies, but few human studies exist. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This community-based prospective cohort study included 522 women attempting to become pregnant between 2010 and 2016. The women completed online daily and monthly diaries until a positive home pregnancy test was observed or 12 months had elapsed. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS The study included women from central North Carolina who were aged 30-44 with no history of infertility, with no more than 3 months of attempt time at recruitment. Women recorded vaginal bleeding so that the ongoing number of attempt cycles could be counted and used to quantify a woman's pregnancy attempt time. Blood collected at the study entry was analysed for 25(OH)D using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Associations with fecundability were estimated with a log-binomial discrete time-to-event model. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Among 522 women, 257 conceived during the study. The mean age was 33 years and the mean 25(OH)D was 36 ng/ml. There was an estimated 10% higher fecundability with each 10 ng/ml increase in 25(OH)D (fecundability ratio (FR) 1.10, 95% CI: 0.96, 1.25). The suggestive dose-response association with the continuous measure of 25(OH)D was driven by women in the lowest and the highest categories of 25(OH)D. Compared to women with 25(OH)D of 30-40 ng/ml, women below 20 ng/ml had an estimated 45% reduction in fecundability (FR (CI): 0.55 (0.23, 1.32)), and women with at least 50 ng/ml had an estimated 35% increase in fecundability (FR (CI): 1.35 (0.95, 1.91)). Across these three categories (25(OH)D of <20 ng/ml, 30-40 ng/ml and > 50 ng/ml), the probability of taking longer than 6 months to conceive was, respectively, 51% (17%, 74%), 28% (17%, 39%) and 15% (10%, 37%). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION While the distribution of 25(OH)D was wide, the number of observed cycles with high 25(OH)D (N = 107) or low 25(OH)D (N = 56) was small. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our findings are consistent with prior reports of reduced fertility in women with 25(OH)D concentrations below the clinically defined deficiency level (20 ng/ml). Further studies are needed to evaluate the possible reproductive benefits of considerably higher 25(OH)D concentration (>50 ng/ml). STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This research was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under award numbers R00HD079659 and R01HD067683 and supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, under projects ES103086, ES049003 and ES044003. ClearBlue ovulation predictor kits were generously donated to AMZJ and AJW by Swiss Precision Diagnostics. Drs Wilcox and Jukic report non-financial support from Swiss Precision Diagnostics during the conduct of the study; Dr Jukic reports non-financial support from Theralogix, LLC, outside the submitted work. Otherwise there are no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Z Jukic
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, One Church St, 6th floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, PO Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - D D Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, PO Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - C R Weinberg
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, PO Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - A J Wilcox
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, PO Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | | | - A Z Steiner
- Duke University Hospital, 5704 Fayetteville Road, Durham, NC 27713, USA
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Franca MM, Han X, Funari MFA, Lerario AM, Nishi MY, Fontenele EGP, Domenice S, Jorge AAL, Garcia-Galiano D, Elias CF, Mendonca BB. Exome Sequencing Reveals the POLR3H Gene as a Novel Cause of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019; 104:2827-2841. [PMID: 30830215 PMCID: PMC6543511 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2018-02485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a cause of female infertility. However, the genetic etiology of this disorder remains unknown in most patients with POI. OBJECTIVE To investigate the genetic etiology of idiopathic POI. PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed whole-exome sequencing of 11 families with idiopathic POI. To gain insights into the potential mechanisms associated with this mutation, we generated two mouse lines via clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9 technology. RESULTS A pathogenic homozygous missense mutation (c.149A>G; p.Asp50Gly) in the POLR3H gene in two unrelated families was identified. Pathogenic mutations in this subunit have not been associated with human disorders. Loss-of-function Polr3h mutation in mice caused early embryonic lethality. Mice with homozygous point mutation (Polr3hD50G) were viable but showed delayed pubertal development, characterized by late first estrus or preputial separation. The Polr3hD50G female and male mice showed decreased fertility later in life, associated with small litter size and increased time to pregnancy or to impregnate a female. Polr3hD50G mice displayed decreased expression of ovarian Foxo3a and lower numbers of primary follicles. CONCLUSION Our manuscript provides a case of POI caused by missense mutation in POLR3H, expanding the knowledge of molecular pathways of the ovarian function and human infertility. Screening of the POLR3H gene may elucidate POI cases without previously identified genetic causes, supporting approaches of genetic counseling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica M Franca
- Unidade de Endocrinologia do Desenvolvimento, Laboratorio de Hormonios e Genetica Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Xingfa Han
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Isotope Research Laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Mariana F A Funari
- Unidade de Endocrinologia do Desenvolvimento, Laboratorio de Hormonios e Genetica Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio M Lerario
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Mirian Y Nishi
- Unidade de Endocrinologia do Desenvolvimento, Laboratorio de Hormonios e Genetica Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Laboratorio de Sequenciamento em Larga Escala, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Eveline G P Fontenele
- Serviço de Endocrinologia e Diabetes do Hospital Universitario Walter Cantidio, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Sorahia Domenice
- Unidade de Endocrinologia do Desenvolvimento, Laboratorio de Hormonios e Genetica Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Alexander A L Jorge
- Unidade de Endocrinologia Genetica/LIM25, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - David Garcia-Galiano
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Carol F Elias
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Correspondence and Reprint Requests: Berenice B. Mendonca, MD, PhD, Hospital das Clinicas, Laboratorio de Hormonios e Genetica Molecular, Avenida Doutor Eneas de Carvalho Aguiar, 155, 2nd Andar, Bloco 6 CEP: 05403-900, São Paulo, Brazil. E-mail: ; or Carol F. Elias, PhD, 1137 East Catherine Street, 7732B Med Sci II, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-5622. E-mail:
| | - Berenice B Mendonca
- Unidade de Endocrinologia do Desenvolvimento, Laboratorio de Hormonios e Genetica Molecular/LIM42, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Laboratorio de Sequenciamento em Larga Escala, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Correspondence and Reprint Requests: Berenice B. Mendonca, MD, PhD, Hospital das Clinicas, Laboratorio de Hormonios e Genetica Molecular, Avenida Doutor Eneas de Carvalho Aguiar, 155, 2nd Andar, Bloco 6 CEP: 05403-900, São Paulo, Brazil. E-mail: ; or Carol F. Elias, PhD, 1137 East Catherine Street, 7732B Med Sci II, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-5622. E-mail:
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DeMeritt JS, Wajswol E, Wattamwar A. Pregnancy after Superselective Embolization of the Cervicovaginal Arteries for a Bleeding Cervical Fibroid. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2019; 30:1639-1642.e2. [PMID: 31003844 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvir.2018.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- John S DeMeritt
- Department of Radiology, Hackensack University Medical Center, 30 Prospect Avenue, Hackensack, NJ 07601
| | - Ethan Wajswol
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Anoop Wattamwar
- Department of Radiology, Hackensack University Medical Center, 30 Prospect Avenue, Hackensack, NJ 07601
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Kim YR, Pacella RE, Harden FA, White N, Toms LML. A systematic review: Impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals exposure on fecundity as measured by time to pregnancy. Environ Res 2019; 171:119-133. [PMID: 30660918 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.12.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging scientific evidence suggests that exposure to environmental pollutants is associated with negative effects on fecundity as measured by time to pregnancy (TTP). OBJECTIVES To conduct a systematic review of the literature on the association between selected endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and fecundity as measured by TTP in humans. Compounds included in this review are: brominated flame retardants (BFRs) such as hexabromocyclododecane, tetrabromobiphenol A and polybrominated diphenyl ethers; organophosphates flame retardants (OPFRs); and phthalates. METHODS Scopus, MEDLINE via Ebscohost and EMBASE databases were searched for articles exploring the relationships between selected EDCs and fecundity as measured by time to pregnancy. We assessed the quality of included studies and evidence for causality was graded using the criteria developed by the World Cancer Research Fund. RESULTS 14 studies of 191 full-text articles assessed for eligibility were included for qualitative synthesis. Five studies examined BFRs and 10 studies examined phthalates. Among the fourteen, one study assessed both BFRs and phthalates. There were no studies which investigated fecundity as measured by TTP on HBCD, TBBPA, or OPFRs. We recorded plausible fecundity outcomes as measured by TTP related to some of these EDCs. BFRs or phthalates increased TTP. However, results were inconsistent. CONCLUSION We recorded mostly weak associations between exposure to selected EDCs and fecundity. However, evidence was considered limited to conclude a causal relationship due to inconsistency of results. The health risks posed by these chemicals in exposed populations are only beginning to be recognized and prospective measurement of the environmental effects of the chemicals in large cohort studies are urgently needed to confirm these relationships and inform policies aimed at exposure prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Ran Kim
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, QLD, Australia; Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, QLD, Australia.
| | - Rosana E Pacella
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, QLD, Australia; Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, QLD, Australia; Department of Childhood, Social Work & Social Care, University of Chichester, England, UK
| | | | - Nicole White
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, QLD, Australia; Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, QLD, Australia
| | - Leisa-Maree L Toms
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, QLD, Australia; Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, QLD, Australia
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between history of miscarriage and fecundability (the cycle-specific probability of conception). DESIGN Nationwide prospective cohort study using web-based questionnaires. SETTING Denmark, 2007-2012. PARTICIPANTS 977 women attempting to conceive, not using fertility treatment, and with a reproductive history of only miscarriage or only live birth. EXPOSURE AND OUTCOME MEASURES Information on previous pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage, came from self-report or from relevant registries. Participants were followed for up to 12 months or until they reported a pregnancy, stopped trying to conceive or started fertility treatment, whichever came first. We used Kaplan-Meier methods to estimate cumulative probabilities of conception for women whose reproductive history included only miscarriage or only live birth. Using proportional probabilities regression modelling, we computed fecundability ratios (FR) with 95% CI comparing women with a history of only miscarriage with women with a history of only live birth. RESULTS After adjustment for potential confounders, the cumulative probabilities of conception within 12 cycles of follow-up were 85% (95% CI 81% to 89%) for women with a history of 1 miscarriage, 85% (95% CI 73% to 92%) for women with a history of ≥2 miscarriages and 88% (95% CI 87% to 89%) for women whose reproductive history included only live birth. Adjusted FRs were 0.87 (95% CI 0.71 to 1.07) and 0.65 (95% CI 0.36 to 1.17) for women with a history of 1 and ≥2 miscarriages, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that women with a history of miscarriage may have slightly reduced fecundability compared with women with a history of only live birth. The reduction in fecundability was greater for women with repeated miscarriages, although the estimates were imprecise. Despite a potential delay in conception, women with previous miscarriage may have similar probability of pregnancy by 12 cycles of attempts to women with proven fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anders H Riis
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Vera Ehrenstein
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Elizabeth E Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kenneth J Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- RTI Health Solutions, Research Triangle Park, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Henrik T Sørensen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ellen M Mikkelsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
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McInerney KA, Hahn KA, Hatch EE, Mikkelsen EM, Steiner AZ, Rothman KJ, Sørensen HT, Snerum TM, Wise LA. Lubricant use during intercourse and time to pregnancy: a prospective cohort study. BJOG 2018; 125:1541-1548. [PMID: 29543376 PMCID: PMC6139089 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.15218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the extent to which lubricant use during intercourse is associated with time to pregnancy (TTP). DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Denmark and North America. POPULATION A total of 6467 women aged 18-49 years who were not using contraception or fertility treatment. METHODS We pooled data from two continuing prospective cohort studies of pregnancy planners in Denmark (2011-2017) and North America (2013-2017). Female participants completed bimonthly questionnaires for 12 months or until they reported pregnancy. After restricting the study to women without a history of infertility who had been trying to conceive for six or fewer cycles at enrollment, 6467 women were retained for analysis. Self-reported lubricant use was categorised as water-based/not pH balanced, water-based/pH balanced 'fertility friendly', silicone-based, oil-based, or a combination of these. We used proportional probability models to calculate fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between lubricant use and fecundability, after adjusting for cohort and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Fecundability. RESULTS At baseline, 17.5% of participants reported the use of lubricants, most commonly water-based/not pH balanced (11.4%). Compared with non-use of lubricants, FRs were 1.02 (95% CI 0.93-1.11) for water-based/not pH-balanced lubricant use, 1.01 (95% CI 0.86-1.18) for water-based/pH balanced 'fertility friendly' lubricant use, 1.23 (95% CI 0.94-1.61) for oil-based lubricant use, and 1.27 (95% CI 0.93-1.73) for silicone-based lubricant use. Associations between oil-based lubricant use and fecundability were inconsistent across subgroups of study cohort, age, parity, and intercourse frequency. CONCLUSIONS Lubricant use was not associated with reduced fecundability in the preconception cohorts of pregnancy planners studied. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT Lubricant use during intercourse was not associated with time to pregnancy in a study of pregnancy planners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn A. McInerney
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Kristen A. Hahn
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Elizabeth E. Hatch
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
| | - Ellen M. Mikkelsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Olof Palmes alle 43-45, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Anne Z. Steiner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, 4001 Old Clinic Building #7570, Chapel Hill NC 27599 USA
| | - Kenneth J. Rothman
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
- RTI Health Solutions, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709 USA
| | - Henrik T. Sørensen
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Olof Palmes alle 43-45, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Thala M. Snerum
- Pediatric Department, Regional Hospital Viborg, Heibergs Alle 4, 8800 Viborg, Denmark
| | - Lauren A. Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118 USA
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Wang B, Zhou W, Zhu W, Chen L, Wang W, Tian Y, Shen L, Zhang J. Associations of female exposure to bisphenol A with fecundability: Evidence from a preconception cohort study. Environ Int 2018; 117:139-145. [PMID: 29751163 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) is common. The reproductive toxicity of BPA has been well characterized. However, the impact of BPA exposure on fecundability in healthy women is less clear, and evidence from eastern countries is lacking. OBJECTIVES We aimed to prospectively assess the associations of BPA with female fecundability, as measured by time to pregnancy (TTP). METHODS From 2013 to 2015, we included 700 Chinese couples attempting pregnancy in two preconception care clinics and followed for 12 months or until a pregnancy occurred. The concentrations of BPA were determined in preconception urine samples of female partners. Cox's proportional models for discrete survival time were used to estimate fecundability odds ratios (FORs). Odds ratios (ORs) for infertility (TTP > 12 months) were estimated using logistic regression models. RESULTS After adjusting for potential confounders, each ln-unit increase in urinary concentrations of BPA was associated with a 13% reduction in fecundability (FOR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.98) and a 23% increase in odds of infertility (OR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.50). Women in the highest quartile of urinary BPA had a 30% reduction in fecundability (FOR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.96) and a 64% increase in odds of infertility when compared to those in the lowest quartile (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 0.90, 2.98). The associations of urinary BPA concentrations with fecundability (FOR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.95) and infertility (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.93) were strengthened among women over 30 years of age. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that preconception concentrations of BPA in female urine were associated with decreased fecundability, particularly among women at older ages. These findings should be confirmed in future human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenting Zhu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiye Wang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Tian
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lisong Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Buck Louis GM, Smarr MM, Sun L, Chen Z, Honda M, Wang W, Karthikraj R, Weck J, Kannan K. Endocrine disrupting chemicals in seminal plasma and couple fecundity. Environ Res 2018; 163:64-70. [PMID: 29426029 PMCID: PMC5878734 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Revised: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence supports the importance of men's exposure to non-persistent endocrine disruptors (EDCs) and couple fecundability, as measured by time-to-pregnancy (TTP). This evolving literature contrasts with the largely equivocal findings reported for women's exposures and fecundity. While most evidence relies upon urinary concentrations, quantification of EDCs in seminal plasma may be more informative about potential toxicity arising within the testes. We analyzed 5 chemical classes of non-persistent EDCs in seminal plasma for 339 male partners of couples who were recruited prior to conception and who were followed daily until pregnant or after one year of trying. Benzophenones, bisphenols, parabens, and phthalate metabolites and phthalate diesters were measured using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) except for phthalate diesters, which were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cox regression with discrete-time was used to estimate fecundability odds ratios (FORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each chemical to estimate the probability of pregnancy. While most EDCs were detected in seminal plasma, concentrations were lower than urinary concentrations previously analyzed for the cohort. None of the EDCs were significantly associated with fecundability even after covariate adjustment, though benzophenones consistently yielded FORs <1.0 (ranging from 0.72 to 0.91) in couple-adjusted models suggestive of diminished fecundity (longer TTP). The findings underscore that a range of EDCs can be quantified in seminal plasma, but the lower concentrations may require a large cohort for assessing couple fecundability, as well as the need to consider other fecundity outcomes such as semen quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germaine M Buck Louis
- Office of the Director, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, 6710b Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Melissa M Smarr
- Office of the Director, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, 6710b Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Liping Sun
- Glotec, Inc., Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, 6710b Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Zhen Chen
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, 6710b Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Masato Honda
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York 12201, United States
| | - Wei Wang
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York 12201, United States
| | - Rajendiran Karthikraj
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York 12201, United States
| | - Jennifer Weck
- Office of the Director, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, 6710b Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York 12201, United States.
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Buck Louis GM, Bell E, Xie Y, Sundaram R, Yeung E. Parental health status and infant outcomes: Upstate KIDS Study. Fertil Steril 2018; 109:315-323. [PMID: 29338856 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess parental health status inclusive of infertility and infant outcomes. DESIGN Birth cohort with cross-sectional analysis of parental health status and infant outcomes. SETTING Not applicable. PATIENT(S) Parents (n = 4,886) and infants (n = 5,845) participating in the Upstate KIDS birth cohort. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Infertility was defined as [1] sexually active without contraception for 1+ years without pregnancy, [2] ever requiring ≥12 months to become pregnant, and [3] requiring ≥12 months for index pregnancy. Multivariable linear regression with generalized estimating equations estimated the change (β coefficient and 95% confidence interval [CI]) in infant outcomes (gestation, birthweight, length, head circumference, ponderal index) and relative to each disease, including infertility after adjusting for age, body mass index, and infertility treatment. RESULT(S) Prevalence of parental chronic diseases ranged from <1% to 19%, and 21% to 54% for infertility. Maternal hypertension was negatively associated with gestation (β, -0.64; 95% CI, -1.03, -0.25) and birthweight (-151.98; -262.30, -41.67) as was asthma and birthweight (-75.01; -130.40, -19.62). Maternal kidney disease was associated with smaller head circumference (-1.09; -2.17, -0.01), whereas paternal autoimmune disease was associated with larger head circumference (0.87; 0.15, 1.60). Infertility was negatively associated with birthweight (-62.18; -103.78, -20.58), length (-0.33; -0.60, -0.06), and head circumference (-0.35; -0.67, -0.03). CONCLUSION(S) Infertility was significantly associated with reduced infant size even after accounting for infertility treatment, although the magnitude of reduction varied by definition of infertility. Absence of pregnancy within a year of being at risk may be informative about health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germaine M Buck Louis
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Erin Bell
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, and Department of Epidemiology, and Department of Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, One University Place, Rensselaer, New York
| | | | - Rajeshwari Sundaram
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Edwina Yeung
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland
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