title: The effects of exposure to pesticides on the fecundity status of farm workers resident in a rural region of Fars province, southern Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of fecundity and other reproductive problems among a group of farmers in Kavar district of Fars province, southern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 268 randomly selected married male farm workers were investigated. A questionnaire was devised and validated [Cronbach's α-coefficient (0.81)]. Subjects were directly interviewed and the questionnaire forms were completed for them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of current primary infertility among the studied population was about 7.4% (P=0.001). Similarly, 6.3% of farm workers had offsprings with congenital malformations. Finally, 1.5% and 9% of farmers' wives had a history of stillbirth and abortion, respectively. It was concluded that the prevalence of current primary infertility were higher among farm workers families than in the normal population (P<0.05). Additionally, stillbirth and spontaneous abortion were more common in the wives of farm workers than in the normal population, although the difference did not reach statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These effects are likely to be attributed to the exposure of farm workers to pesticides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neghab
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadjafar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Momenbella-Fard
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naziaghdam
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Narges
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salahshour
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamzeh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alipour
keywords: Infertility; Iran; Male farmers; Pesticides exposure