(ANSA) – ROME, 05 SEPTEMBER – Those who live in areas with a lot of traffic have a higher risk of suffering from fertility problems, both due to air pollution and noise pollution. This is the conclusion reached by a study coordinated by researchers from the Danish Cancer Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, and published in the British Medical Journal.
“Infertility is a serious health problem worldwide, affecting one in seven couples trying to conceive,” researchers explain. Suspicions have long been raised about the negative effects of pollution on sperm quality and the chances of success of infertility treatments. The new research aimed to delve deeper into this link, adding another potential risk factor: noise. Based on data from around 40,000 people, researchers discovered that exposure to high levels of PM2.5 fine dust increases the risk of infertility in men aged 30 and over, quantified at +24% for every increment of 2.9 µg/m3 of PM2.5. Women over 35 are those who suffer the most from the effects of noise on fertility, with a 14% increase in risk for every 10.2 decibel increase in the average noise level. Noise does not appear to have any consequences for younger women. The effects on men, however, are small and limited to those over 37. “Since many Western countries are facing declining birth rates and an increasing maternal age at the birth of the first child, knowledge of the environmental factors that influence fertility is essential,” the researchers conclude. “If our results are confirmed in future studies, the implementation of policies to mitigate air pollution and noise could be important tools to improve birth rates in the Western world.” (ANSA).
2024-09-05 12:05:30