Prospective pregnancy study designs for assessing reproductive and developmental toxicants.

Buck, Germaine M.; Lynch, Courtney D.; Stanford, Joseph B.; Sweeney, Anne; Schieve, Laura A.; Rockett, John C.; Selevan, Sherry G.; Schrader, Steven M.

doi:10.1289/ehp.6262

Cited by 76 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 68 publications

(102 reference statements)

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“…The increasing methodologic complexities that are associated with capturing exposures, including environmental mixtures, in the context of lifestyle and behavior across critical windows of human development argue for prospective epidemiologic studies whose utility and feasibility have been demonstrated. 121,122 Ideally, such studies would incorporate longitudinal biospecimen collection at timed intervals for the quantification of chemical mixtures and lifestyle exposures that may affect growth and development inclusive of pubertal milestones. Efforts to develop a suite of sensitive pubertal markers, rather than a sole marker, that are consistent with the manner in which humans are exposed are needed.…”

Section: Research Priorities and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Factors and Puberty Timing: Expert Panel Research Needs

et al. 2008

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Serono Symposia International convened an expert panel to review the impact of environmental influences on the regulation of pubertal onset and progression while identifying critical data gaps and future research priorities. An expert panel reviewed the literature on endocrine-disrupting chemicals, body size, and puberty. The panel concluded that available experimental animal and human data support a possible role of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and body size in relation to alterations in pubertal onset and progression in boys and girls. Critical data gaps prioritized for future research initiatives include (1) etiologic research that focus on environmentally relevant levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and body size in relation to normal puberty as well as its variants, (2) exposure assessment of relevant endocrine-disrupting chemicals during critical windows of human development, and (3) basic research to identify the primary signal(s) for the onset of gonadotropinreleasing hormone-dependent/central puberty and gonadotropin-releasing hormone-independent/peripheral puberty. Prospective studies of couples who are planning pregnancies or pregnant women are needed to capture the continuum of exposures at critical windows while assessing a spectrum of pubertal markers as outcomes. Coupled with comparative species studies, such research may provide insight regarding the causal ordering of events that underlie pubertal onset and progression and their role in the pathway of adult-onset disease.

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Section: Research Priorities and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Factors and Puberty Timing: Expert Panel Research Needs

et al. 2008

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“…We are unaware of any research focusing on women or couples' behavioral intentions while attempting pregnancy with regard to preconception guidance. This may reflect a limited number of prospective pregnancy studies with preconception enrollment of women assessing lifestyle and behavioral influences on human reproduction and development (26). The best evidence we have detailing the effect of parental exposures on the conceptus and early embryo comes from these studies.…”

Section: Advising the Pregnancy Planning Couplementioning

confidence: 99%

Periconception window: advising the pregnancy-planning couple

Louis

Cooney

Lynch

et al. 2008

Fertility and Sterility

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Objective-To discuss the importance of the periconceptional window with regard to being a critical window of exposure. To review the empirical data related to healthy periconceptional behaviors. Design-Literature review.Conclusion(s)-Human reproduction is a couple-dependent process. Recent literature has highlighted that the periconceptional time period is a critical window of exposure that can impact growth and development. In advising the pregnancy planning couple, it is of paramount importance that couples have knowledge of the timing of the fertile window to ensure that intercourse occurs on days with the maximum probability of pregnancy. Many women adopt healthier lifestyles while trying to conceive, often quitting smoking, eating healthier or taking vitamins. However, there is a lack of empirical data from prospective studies regarding which environmental exposures or behaviors are or are not safe. Noticeably absent are data regarding the effect of male partners' exposures or behaviors on couple fecundity and fertility. As we improve our ability to pinpoint the timing of conception, we should be able to better advise couples planning pregnancy.

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“…Such studies recruit couples upon discontinuing contraception so they can be followed through a year of trying for pregnancy, with the male partner providing baseline and, possibly, additional semen samples. The rarity of such studies has been described (Buck Louis et al ., 2004) and is likely one explanation for our inability to develop methods for the sensitive and specific prediction of male fecundity and related impairments based upon semen analysis results. In fact, we are aware of only two previous prospective cohort studies that enrolled and followed couples to assess semen quality in relation to couple fecundity, as measured by TTP (Bonde et al ., 1988; Zinaman et al ., 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A data‐driven search for semen‐related phenotypes in conception delay

2016

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SummarySperm count, morphology, and motility have been reported to be predictive of pregnancy, although with equivocal basis prompting some authors to question the prognostic value of semen analysis. To assess the utility of including semen quality data in predicting conception delay or requiring >6 cycles to become pregnant (referred to as conception delay), we utilized novel data‐driven analytic techniques in a pre‐conception cohort of couples prospectively followed up for time‐to‐pregnancy. The study cohort comprised 402 (80%) male partners who provided semen samples and had time‐to‐pregnancy information. Female partners used home pregnancy tests and recorded results in daily journals. Odds ratios (OR), false discovery rates, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for conception delay (time‐to‐pregnancy > 6 cycles) were estimated for 40 semen quality phenotypes comprising 35 semen quality endpoints and 5 closely related fecundity determinants (body mass index, time of contraception, lipids, cotinine and seminal white blood cells). Both traditional and strict sperm phenotype measures were associated with lower odds of conception delay. Specifically, for an increase in percent morphologically normal spermatozoa using traditional methods, we observed a 40% decrease in conception delay (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.50, 0.81; p = 0.0003). Similarly, for an increase in strict criteria, we observed a 30% decrease in odds for conception delay (OR = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.52, 0.83; p = 0.001). On the other hand, an increase in percent coiled tail spermatozoa was associated with a 40% increase in the odds for conception delay (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.12, 1.75; p = 0.003). However, our findings suggest that semen phenotypes have little predictive value of conception delay (area under the curve of 73%). In a multivariate model containing significant semen factors and traditional risk factors (i.e. age, body mass index, cotinine and ever having fathered a pregnancy), there was a modest improvement in prediction of conception delay (16% increase in area under the curve, p < 0.0002).

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Prospective pregnancy study designs for assessing reproductive and developmental toxicants.

Cited by 76 publications

References 68 publications

Environmental Factors and Puberty Timing: Expert Panel Research Needs

Environmental Factors and Puberty Timing: Expert Panel Research Needs

Periconception window: advising the pregnancy-planning couple

A data‐driven search for semen‐related phenotypes in conception delay

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