Cathrine Carlsen Bach1, Bodil Hammer Bech2, Ellen Aagaard Nohr3, Jørn Olsen4, Niels Bjerregård Matthiesen5, Rossana Bossi6, Niels Uldbjerg7, Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen8, Tine Brink Henriksen9. 1. Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. Electronic address: ccbach@clin.au.dk. 2. Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. 3. Research Unit for Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark. 4. Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, USA. 5. Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. 6. Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark. 7. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. 8. Centre for Arctic Health & Unit for Cellular and Molecular Toxicology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. 9. Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark; Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous studies on the exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and female fertility have provided conflicting results. We aimed to investigate the association between several PFAAs and time to pregnancy among nulliparous women. METHODS: From 2008 to 2013, we included 1372 women from the Aarhus Birth Cohort, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, who provided data on time to pregnancy and a blood sample before 20 gestational weeks. We measured the levels of 16 PFAAs in maternal serum and report data for seven compounds with quantifiable values in at least 50% of samples. Fecundability ratios according to PFAA levels (quartiles or continuous levels) were estimated by discrete-time survival analyses, adjusted for potential confounders. We further investigated the association between PFAAs and infertility (time to pregnancy>12 months or infertility treatment prior to the studied pregnancy) by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Median levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate were 8.3 and 2.0 ng/mL. Overall, no obvious associations were found between any PFAAs and fecundability or infertility. Adjusted fecundability ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.09 (0.92-1.29) for perfluorooctane sulfonate and 1.10 (0.93-1.30) for perfluorooctanoate (highest versus lowest quartile). CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence of an association between present serum levels of PFAAs and longer time to pregnancy or infertility in nulliparous women. This study further adds to the sparse knowledge on PFAAs besides perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies on the exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and female fertility have provided conflicting results. We aimed to investigate the association between several PFAAs and time to pregnancy among nulliparous women. METHODS: From 2008 to 2013, we included 1372 women from the Aarhus Birth Cohort, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, who provided data on time to pregnancy and a blood sample before 20 gestational weeks. We measured the levels of 16 PFAAs in maternal serum and report data for seven compounds with quantifiable values in at least 50% of samples. Fecundability ratios according to PFAA levels (quartiles or continuous levels) were estimated by discrete-time survival analyses, adjusted for potential confounders. We further investigated the association between PFAAs and infertility (time to pregnancy>12 months or infertility treatment prior to the studied pregnancy) by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Median levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate were 8.3 and 2.0 ng/mL. Overall, no obvious associations were found between any PFAAs and fecundability or infertility. Adjusted fecundability ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.09 (0.92-1.29) for perfluorooctane sulfonate and 1.10 (0.93-1.30) for perfluorooctanoate (highest versus lowest quartile). CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence of an association between present serum levels of PFAAs and longer time to pregnancy or infertility in nulliparous women. This study further adds to the sparse knowledge on PFAAs besides perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate.
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