Environmental Toxins and Infertility

Book
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
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Excerpt

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive following a year of regular unprotected intercourse or donor insemination. This definition is reduced to 6 months for women over 35 or with other known risk factors for infertility. In the United States, 13.1% percent of women aged 15 to 49 have known infertility based on 2015 through 2017 national survey data. Numerous etiologies for infertility exist, including ovulatory dysfunction, diminished ovarian reserve, tubal factor, male factor, multifactorial etiologies, and unexplained infertility.

Environmental toxins are ubiquitous and sometimes implicated in infertility development, either through anatomical abnormalities or endocrinological dysfunction. Based on a National Health and Nutrition Survey from 2003 through 2004, pregnant women in the United States are exposed to 43 or more different potential chemical toxins. Knowledge and experience in evaluating exposure to environmental toxins are critical for any reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist.

Environmental toxins affect individuals throughout the lifespan, including prenatally, and can have various effects, from increasing cancer risk to ovulatory dysfunction to altered semen quality. This article is a focused review on the specific toxins known to influence fertility and the recommended evaluation, treatment, and prognosis for these patients.

Publication types

  • Study Guide