title: Organochlorine compound levels in fertile and infertile women from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was quantify organochlorine compounds in women seeking for infertility treatment (n = 15) and in spontaneously pregnant ones (n = 21).
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was applied regarding lifestyle, occupational and reproductive history. Blood samples were collected from both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the pesticides studied, pp'DDE was detected in 100% of infertile women, at higher mean levels than in pregnant women (3.02 mcg/L vs. 0.88 mcg/L; p = 0.001; power of 69%), without correlation with the etiology of infertility. Levels of the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were low, with positive samples in 100% in the infertile women for PCBs 138, 153, 180, while in pregnant women, they were 85.7% for congeners 138 and 153. Only PCB180 showed significance, with frequency of 71.4% (p = 0.019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk factors for female infertility were: age, consumption of untreated water and of canned foods. Exposure to the most prevalent organochlorine compounds described in literature was confirmed in the study, indicating that pp'DDE may adversely influence female fertility.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Serviço Médico, Niterói, RJ, Brazil. amxb@globo.com
authors.forename: Ana Marcia Xavier
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo Borges de
authors.initials: Mdo C
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Gutemberg Leão de
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Almeida Filho
authors.forename: Thomas Manfred
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: Thelma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pavesi
authors.forename: Licínio Esmeraldo da
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001723:Birth Rate / Q000639:trends; D001938:Brazil; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002801:Cholinesterase Reactivators / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D057141:Food, Preserved / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced; D008019:Life Style; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060753:Water Quality; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002801:Cholinesterase Reactivators; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls