Effects of Pesticide Exposure on Time to Pregnancy, Results of a Multicenter Study in France and Denmark

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a relation between male exposure to pesticides and the amount of time needed to conceive (time to pregnancy) for farmers and agricultural workers in France and Denmark. The authors used retrospective studies to compare the time to pregnancy of couples in which the man was exposed to pesticides during the year before the birth of their youngest child with that of couples in which the man was not exposed. In 1995 and 1996, the authors studied 362 French rural workers (142 exposed to pesticides and 220 not exposed), 449 Danish farmers (326 conventional farmers exposed to pesticides and 123 nonexposed organic farmers), and 121 Danish greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides. The fecundability ratio for exposure to pesticides (Cox model, before and after adjustment for confounding factors) did not differ from 1 in any of the three populations. In France, the adjusted fecundability ratio was 1.17 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89-1.55) for exposed and nonexposed agricultural workers. In Denmark, it was 1.09 (95% CI 0.82-1.43) for exposed and nonexposed farmers and 0.83 (95% CI 0.69-1.18) for greenhouse workers and nonexposed farmers. Thus, this study found no relation between fertility (time to pregnancy) and male exposure to pesticides.

Male Infertility; Evidences, Risk Factors, Causes, Diagnosis and Management in Human

“…Exposure of the father to pesticides during the preconception period or prior can also increase the risk of having anencephalic child [81]. Men engaged in agricultural practices adopting use of pesticides are at increased risk of fetal death from congenital anomalies, particularly where pesticides are used massively [82]. Paternal pesticide exposure has been otherwise reported to decrease fertilizing ability of sperm in those seeking IVF treatment [83].…”

Time to pregnancy among the wives of Finnish greenhouse workers

“…Some other pesticides [ie, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), ethylene dibromide (EDB), chlordecone (Kepone TM ), and carbaryl] have also been shown to cause adverse effects on semen quality (2)(3). A Dutch study observed decreased fecundability among highly exposed fruit growers as compared with that of workers with low exposure (4), but three other studies found no association between exposure to pesticide and male fecundability (5)(6)(7). All in all, data on the effects of pesticide exposure on male fertility are scarce and difficult to compare due to exposure heterogeneity.…”

Time to pregnancy among female greenhouse workers

“…Although many animal studies have been performed on the reproductive toxicity of pesticides (1,(3)(4)(5)(6) and pregnancy outcome has been evaluated in several human studies (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15), effects on human fertility have only recently been considered (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26). For many pesticides, no information is available, and the majority of epidemiologic studies to date pertain to pesticides that are no longer used.…”

“…For many pesticides, no information is available, and the majority of epidemiologic studies to date pertain to pesticides that are no longer used. Several studies investigated male workers only (16)(17)(18)(19), while the results from a study in Finland indicated reduced fertility among wives of Finnish greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides (20).…”