title: Environmental risk factors and male fertility and reproduction.
abstract: Several environmental substances and pesticides exert a direct, cytotoxic effect on male germ cells. However, an increasing concern has been raised by compounds that may act through more subtle mechanisms, for example, specific pesticides that are potentially capable of modulating or disrupting the endocrine system. Overall, exposure to pesticides with endocrine-disrupting potential raise a particular concern for male fertility because of the possible occurrence of both effects at low concentrations and additive interactions with other environmental risk factors. Delayed reproductive problems deserve special attention, since experimental data consistently indicate a high vulnerability in the developing male reproductive system. Epidemiologic studies have confirmed an increased risk of conception delay associated with occupational exposure to pesticides. Moreover, an increased risk of spontaneous abortion has been noted among wives of exposed workers.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Epidemiologia e Biostatistica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. petrelli@iss.it
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrelli
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mantovani
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010575:Pesticides