Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment

LIFE研究的目的是评估环境因素（广义上包括生活方式因素）对人类生殖和发育的影响。 LIFE研究符合国家儿童健康和人类发展研究所的使命，其中包括开展基础、临床和流行病学研究，重点关注与人类生殖和发展有关的因素和过程，从而确保出生的健康婴儿能够充分发挥成人潜力，不受身体或精神残疾的影响。 这项研究正在评估选定的环境因素与人类生殖力和生育力之间的关系，特别是在生活方式的背景下。 从密歇根州和得克萨斯州的16个目标县招募了501对因怀孕而停止避孕的夫妇。 夫妇完成基线访谈和标准化的人体测量评估，并前瞻性地跟踪长达12个月的尝试怀孕。 对孕妇进行跟踪直至分娩。 夫妇在基线时提供血液和尿液样本，男性提供精液样本，女性提供唾液样本，分别用于精液质量和压力生物标志物的分析。 选择血液金属（铅和镉）、血清有机氯污染物（多氯联苯和全氟化学品）和短寿命（例如，酚类、邻苯二甲酸盐）化学物质与夫妇的生育力有关，这是通过怀孕所需的较长时间来衡量的。 雄性化学品浓度被认为是与更大的减少生育力。 其他持久性化学物质，如全氟化碳与选定的精液质量终点相关，其他短寿命化学物质，如特定的邻苯二甲酸酯和紫外线型BP过滤器。

The purpose of the LIFE Study is to assess the impact of environmental factors, broadly defined to include lifestyle factors, on human reproduction and development. The LIFE Study is consistent with the mission of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development that includes conducting basic, clinical and epidemiologic research focusing on factors and processes associated with human reproduction and development thereby, ensuring the birth of healthy infants capable of reaching full adult potential unimpaired by physical or mental disabilities. This study is assessing the relation between select environmental factors and human fecundity and fertility, particularly in the context of lifestyle. 501 couples discontinuing contraception for purposes of becoming pregnant were recruited from 16 targeted counties in Michigan and Texas. Couples completed baseline interviews and standardized anthropometric assessments and were prospectively followed for up to 12 months attempting pregnancy. Pregnant women were followed until delivery. Couples provided blood and urine samples at baseline, and men provided semen samples and women saliva samples for the analysis of semen quality and stress biomarkers, respectively. Select blood metals (lead and cadmium), serum organochlorine pollutants (PCBs and PFCs) and short lived (e.g., phenols, phthalates) chemicals were found to be associated with couple fecundity as measured by a longer time required for pregnancy. Male chemical concentrations were observed to be associated with greater reduction in fecundity. Other persistent chemicals such as PFCs were associated with select semen quality endpoints as were other short lived chemicals such as specific phthalates and UV-type BP filters.