Associating ambient exposure to fine particles and human fertility rates in China.
BACKGROUND
Adverse effects of ambient fine particles (PM2.5) on sperm quality and oocyte fertilization have been identified by previous research. However, insufficient human studies tested associations between PM2.5 and decreased fertility rates.


METHODS
We associated long-term exposure to PM2.5 and county-level fertility rates reported by 2010 census across China. Exposure assessments were based on PM2.5 maps (2009-2010) with a spatial resolution of 0.1° derived from satellite remote sensing data from another published study. We used a Poisson regression to examine the relationship between PM2.5 and fertility rates with adjustment of potential confounders including county-level socioeconomic factors (e.g. sex ratio) and a spatially smoothed trend.


RESULTS
We found that fertility rates were significantly decreased by 2.0% (95% confidence interval: 1.8%, 2.1%) per 10 μg/m3 increment of PM2.5. We also found a geographical variation of the associations.


CONCLUSIONS
The study add to epidemiological evidences on adverse effects of PM2.5 on fertility rates.
['Xue|Tao|T|', 'Zhang|Qiang|Q|']
D000393:Air Pollutants D000397:Air Pollution D001723:Birth Rate D002681:China D004781:Environmental Exposure D005260:Female D005298:Fertility D005843:Geography D006801:Humans D052638:Particulate Matter D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
Fertility rate Fine particles (PM2.5) Ambient pollution Infertility Spatial epidemiology