Infertility is characterised by the inability to conceive a pregnancy after at least one year of unprotected intercourse (Louis et al., 2013). This clinical condition affects up to 15% of couples (Louis et al., 2013) and, in about 40% of them, the origin is attributable to males (Bhasin et al., 1994). In approximately 31% of cases, infertility is found to be secondary and, therefore, a preventable condition (WHO, 1992).Although it is difficult to demonstrate a definitive correlation between such risk factors and male infertility, Jensen reported that several occupational and environmental exposure to toxins have known or suspected harmful effects on male reproductive functions (Jensen et al., 2006). Undeniably, one of the most studied hazards is pesticide use. Pesticides prevent, destroy or control harmful organisms (pests), protect plants or plant products during production, storage and transport (Sengupta & Banerjee, 2014). Pesticide
Background:The environment plays a key role in male infertility, changing the incidence in various populations, and pesticides are one of the most studied hazards.The use of the latter has never decreased, jeopardizing the safety of workers and the general population.Objective: Our purpose was to summarize the results of studies discussing the association between pesticides and male fertility. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed through MEDLINE via PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Only human studies were considered. Semen parameters and DNA integrity were considered to evaluate the effect of pesticides on men.Results: A total of 64 studies that investigated their impact in terms of semen parameters (51 studies) and chromatin and DNA integrity (25 studies) were included. The most frequently affected parameters were total sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm morphology, although a reduction in ejaculate volume and concentration occur in several cases. A tangible worsening of semen quality was associated with organochlorines and organophosphates. Furthermore, pesticide exposure, especially pyrethroids, was related to a higher DNA fragmentation index and chromosome aneuploidy in most articles.
Conclusion:The epidemiological evidence supports the association between pesticides and male fertility for workers and the exposed population in terms of semen quality, DNA fragmentation, and chromosome aneuploidy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.