Use of time to pregnancy in environmental epidemiology and surveillance.
BACKGROUND
Potential sources of environmental pollution, such as incinerators or landfill sites, can adversely affect reproduction and/or development. Time to pregnancy (TTP) is a validated measure of biological fertility that can be studied with relatively small populations.


METHODS
Pregnant local residents living within 3 km of a landfill site ('exposed' group, n = 200) or elsewhere in the Rhondda valleys ('unexposed' group, n = 400) were interviewed by health visitors or midwives. The response rate was 83%.


RESULTS
No difference was found in the TTP distributions between the exposed and unexposed groups. Relationships of TTP with covariates were consistent with the literature.


CONCLUSIONS
In a context of public and scientific concern about possible reproductive toxicity, an interview study of TTP was highly acceptable to local women. A large enough sample to generate stable TTP distributions was readily achieved.
Joffe
Mike
M
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College, St Mary's Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PF, UK. m.joffe@imperial.ac.uk
Paranjothy
Shantini
S
Fielder
Hilary
H
Lyons
Ronan
R
Palmer
Stephen
S
D000328:Adult; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000506:poisoning*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017584:Reproductive History; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014852:Wales
D004785:Environmental Pollutants