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Phthalates used as plasticizers affect male fertility
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New research shows urinary concentrations of phthalates used as plasticizers are associated with male fertility, reducing fertility by about 20%.
“The delays in pregnancy we saw were comparable to those seen for smoking or with obesity,” researcher Germaine M. Buck Louis, PhD, director of the Division of Intramural Population Heath Research at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said in a press release.
Researchers recruited 501 couples who were attempting to conceive from 16 targeted counties in Michigan and Texas from 2005 to 2009 who were reported to have exposure to persistent environmental chemicals. Eligible women were aged 18 to 44 years with menstrual cycles between 21 and 42 days; in a committed relationship; had no use of injectable hormonal contraceptives in the previous year; were not lactating; and had no diagnosis of infertility. Eligible men were older than 18 years. Most participants were white, college-educated and had health insurance. The average age was 30 years for women and 31.8 years for men. About half of both males and females reported a previous full-term pregnancy.
BMI was assessed for all participants, and women completed a daily journal to provide information on intercourse, menstruation and home pregnancy test results. Women were provided with urinary-based fertility monitors to aid couples in timing intercourse.
The couples were tested for urinary bisphenol A (BPA) and 14 phthalates; 98% had detectable concentrations of BPA and 94% to 99% tested positive for nine of the 14 phthalates. Although researchers reported no link between BPA and time to pregnancy in women or men, urinary concentrations of three phthalates — monomethyl, mono-n-butyl and monobenzyl — in men were associated with a reduction in fecundity of about 20% per standard deviation change in concentration. Based on their findings, researchers stressed the importance of considering both men and women when assessing exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals as they relate to pregnancy outcomes.
“Our study shows that exposure to certain phthalates can reduce the chance of conception for otherwise healthy couples,” Buck Louis said in the press release. “Many people have been exposed to these compounds, so it’s important to continue to investigate whether they have any health effects.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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