Environmental Contaminants And Female Fecundity

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The purpose of this project is to assess the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides on female fecundity and fertility. This project is a part of a larger study entitled the New York State Angler Cohort Study (H75/ATH298328) whose purpose is to characterize exposures to various environmental contaminants, and to determine whether human health has been adversely affected among a cohort of angler families residing in the Great Lakes Basin of New York State. Specifically, 102 women who were planning to discontinue contraception to become pregnant were followed for 12 at risk menstrual cycles. All women completed baseline interviews and 90 provided blood specimens. Women were instructed in the use of home pregnancy kits and in the completion of daily diaries that were used to record menstruation, sexual intercourse, pregnancy test results, and select behaviors (i.e., cigarette smoking, caffeine and alcohol consumption, vitamin usage, and fish consumption). Additional blood specimens were obtained from women upon becoming pregnant and after delivery for women whose pregnancies resulted in a live birth. Toxicological analysis of blood specimens was conducted using gas chromatography with electron capture for 66 PCB congeners and 7 pesticides. Data analysis is currently underway to determine whether female fecundity, as measured by time-to-pregnancy, is adversely affected by PCB congeners and/or pesticides along with other relevant fecundity endpoints (viz., pregnancy loss, menstruation and infertility).