title: [First French national survey on lifestyle and toxic factors in infertile couples].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study is to assess, prior to any treatment for infertility, the environment and quality of life of candidate couples for medically assisted procreation (MAP) and the toxic factors which may be related to their difficulty in conceiving.
  
  
  METHODS
  A screening questionnaire aimed at 796 patients (348 couples) has been collected by 43 assisted reproductive techniques (ART) centers in France. Stress factors, anxiety, toxic and environmental factors have been recorded and analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women were on average younger than men (34.9 y ± 5.3 vs. 37.5 y ± 7.5), with a normal BMI, and 78% of them had no children. Sexual relations are regular: 2.14 per week. However, 1 in 8 women reports having sexual problems as opposed to 2 in 100 men (P < 0.0001), the most common problems being painful intercourse, insensitivity and bleeding. Fifty percent of the surveyed women say they have painful periods. Smoking and cannabis use were significantly higher in the men (32% vs. 20% and 6,4% vs. 1,2%). Alcohol consumption is more common in men (32 vs. 23%, P < 0.01). Stress related to infertility was significantly higher in the women (54% vs. 23%; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first prospective French survey has revealed an increased incidence of smoking and an escalation of sexual problems (decrease in sexual relations, dyspareunia) and dysmenorrhea in women. It has also revealed stress at work in couples, and increased stress levels due to infertility in the female partners participating in this study. Our study suggests that there are numerous toxic and environmental factors which are potentially harmful for a couple's fertility and which should be corrected before any MAP treatment is attempted in order to optimise the results in ART and to increase natural fertility.
authors.affiliation: Groupe Procreanat, 15, avenue Poincaré, 75116 Paris, France. silvia.alvarez@free.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Devouche
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires