title: Sperm quality, birth rates and the environment in Flanders (Belgium).
abstract: The relationship between fertility and pollution is unclear. We evaluated sperm quality of 562 candidate donors (years 1977-2004), births rates (births), pollutants, and the number of females in reproductive age (NFRA, 20-39 years) in Flanders. Total sperm count did not change significantly with time. Births correlated with sperm morphology (r=0.60, P=0.0027). Continuing decline in sperm morphology with time is confirmed, statistically unrelated to pollutants. Grade A sperm motility declined (1977-1992) with gradual incomplete recovery thereafter. Multiple regression analysis (1995-2002) indicated dioxin (negative association) as the only independent variable for grade A motility (r-adjusted co-efficient of determination "r-adjusted"=0.76, P=0.008). Births and pollution were positively associated but births were only dependent on NFRA (r-adjusted=0.91, P<0.001). Our results suggest a relation between dioxin and sperm motility, partially reversible upon reduction of environmental dioxin. Though significantly correlated with sperm morphology, births are primarily associated with demographic factors.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University Hospital, Department of Medical and Urological Andrology, 9k12 IE, De Pintelaan, 185, B 9000 Gent, Belgium. frank.Comhaire@Ugent.be
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Comhaire
authors.forename: Ahmed M A
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schoonjans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D001723:Birth Rate / Q000639:trends*; D004147:Dioxins / Q000009:adverse effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018812:Paternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants