title: Urinary bisphenol A, phthalates, and couple fecundity: the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationship between environmental chemicals and couple fecundity or time to pregnancy (TTP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Communities of targeted populations with reported exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  501 couples recruited upon discontinuing contraception to become pregnant, 2005-2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fecundability odds ratios (FORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) estimated for each partner's chemical concentrations adjusted for age, body mass index, cotinine, creatinine, and research site while accounting for time off contraception.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Couples completed interviews and anthropometric assessments and provided the urine specimens for quantification of bisphenol A (BPA) and 14 phthalate metabolites, which were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. Women recorded menstruation and pregnancy test results in daily journals. Couples were evaluated until a positive human-chorionic gonadotropin pregnancy test or 12 cycles without pregnancy. Neither female nor male BPA concentration was associated with TTP (FOR 0.98; 95% CI, 0.86, 1.13 and FOR 1.04; 95% CI, 0.91, 1.18, respectively). Men's urinary concentrations of monomethyl, mono-n-butyl, and monobenzyl phthalates were associated with a longer TTP (FOR 0.80; 95% CI, 0.70, 0.93; FOR 0.82, 95% CI, 0.70, 0.97; and FOR 0.77, 95% CI, 0.65 0.92, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Select male but not female phthalate exposures were associated with an approximately 20% reduction in fecundity, underscoring the importance of assessing both partners' exposure to minimize erroneous conclusions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, Maryland. Electronic address: louisg@mail.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Germaine M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Buck Louis
authors.affiliation: Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Rajeshwari
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sundaram
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M Rural School of Public Health, College Station, Texas.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.affiliation: Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Enrique F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Schisterman
authors.affiliation: Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maisog
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The University at Albany, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Kurunthachalam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kannan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000652:urine*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010636:Phenols / Q000652:urine*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000652:urine*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D061685:Time-to-Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010636:Phenols; D010795:Phthalic Acids; C032279:phthalic acid; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: Bisphenol A; endocrine disrupting chemicals; fecundity; phthalates; reproduction