Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment

生命研究的目的是评估环境因素对人类生殖和发展的影响，广义的环境因素包括生活方式因素。LIFE研究符合国家儿童健康和人类发展研究所的使命，包括开展基础、临床和流行病学研究，重点研究与人类生殖和发育相关的因素和过程，从而确保健康婴儿的出生能够达到完全成年的潜力，不受身体或智力残疾的损害。 这项研究正在评估选定的环境因素与人类繁殖力和生育力的关系，特别是在生活方式的背景下。从密歇根州和德克萨斯州的16个目标县招募了501对夫妇，以怀孕为目的停止避孕。夫妇们完成了基线访谈和标准化的人体测量评估，并对尝试怀孕的夫妇进行了长达12个月的前瞻性跟踪。孕妇一直被跟踪到分娩。夫妇提供了基线的血液和尿液样本，男性提供了精液样本，女性提供了唾液样本，分别用于分析精液质量和压力生物标记物。 选定的血液金属(铅和镉)、血清有机氯污染物(多氯联苯和全氟碳化合物)和短寿命化学物质(如酚、邻苯二甲酸盐)被发现与夫妇生育有关，这是通过怀孕所需的较长时间来衡量的。观察到，男性化学物质浓度与生育力的下降程度更大相关。其他持久性化学品，如全氟化碳，与精液质量终点有关，其他短期化学品，如特定的邻苯二甲酸酯和紫外线类型的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.