title: Environmental contaminant levels and fecundability among non-smoking couples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of low level maternal and paternal persistent contaminant exposures on fecundability among couples from the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  About 41 couples having their first pregnancy completed questionnaires and provided blood samples for analysis of metals, organochlorine pesticides, and polychorinated biphenyls. Associations of personal consumption and contaminant measures for mothers, fathers, and couples overall were analyzed through fecundability odds ratios (fOR, probability of pregnancy per month in more versus less exposed) in multivariable analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Couples with higher reported caffeine consumption (couple consumption > or =111 drinks/month, fOR 0.25, 95% CI, 0.10, 0.63) and higher mercury concentrations in maternal blood (>1.2 microg/L or 0.24 ppm in hair, fOR 0.22, 95% CI, 0.07, 0.72) had lower fecundability, after adjustment for intercourse frequency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduced fecundability at levels below the mercury reference dose warrants further research and prudent reduction in persistent toxic substances exposure among women and men of reproductive age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada; Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, Ont., Canada.
authors.forename: Donald C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wainman
authors.forename: Luz Helena
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sanin
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Muggah
authors.forename: Selahadin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018812:Paternal Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D017584:Reproductive History; D012907:Smoking; D018454:Spouses; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D007306:Insecticides; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; D008628:Mercury