Environmental Causes of Infertility

The information outlined below clearly demonstrates how the primary cause of infertility today
is due to the wide range of chemical exposures present in the home, job, diet and environment.

Percentage of women with infertility differs with age. 15-24 years old.......... 4.1% 25-34 years old.......... 13.1% 35-44 years old.......... 21.4%	National Center for Health Statistics Redbook Magazine, August, 1993
The risk of miscarriage differs with age 20-29 years old.......... 10% risk of miscarriage 45 or older ............... 50% risk of miscarriage	Chatelaine Magazine November 1993, pg. 26
Male infertility increases over past 40 years One-half of 1% of men were functionally sterile in 1938. Today it has reached between 8-12% (an over 15-fold increase). "Functionally sterile" is defined as sperm counts below 20 million per milliliter of semen. Note: A recent report attaining media attention states sperm count has not declined over the past 4 decades. However, note how the study used the dates of 1951 for the 1st comparison study. 1951 was well after the introduction of large amounts of chemicals into society and was a year in which vehicle emissions contained both high levels of lead and large amounts of toxic hydrocarbon/solvent combustion products. Also, by 1951, pesticide use was making its way into consumer use.	Dr. Cecil Jacobson Reproductive Genetics Center Vienna, Virginia
Miscarriage more common with low sperm counts Women experiencing miscarriages typically had husbands with lower sperm counts. On average, 48% of husband's sperm appeared "abnormal" (i.e. 2 heads, 2 tails, etc.) under microscopic examination. Men who fathered normal pregnancies had 25% higher sperm counts and only 5% visually abnormal sperm.	Drs. Mirjam Furuhjelm and Birgit Jonson Dept. of Obst. and Gyn., Sabbatsberg Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden International J. of Fertility, 7(1):17-21, 1962
40% of couple infertility is due to the male.	Dr. Pat McShane Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston Massachusetts
Nationwide infertility rates A study by the National Center for Health Statistics estimated in 1988 that 8.4% of women 15-44 years had impaired ability to have children and about half of these couples eventually conceive. (These are overall average infertility figures pertaining only to women - statistics will vary greatly depending on the age of the woman. Couple infertility rates are nearly double this percentage since it then takes into account male infertility).	Dr. Howard Jones New England Journal of Medicine December 2, 1993 pg. 1710 Article entitled "The Infertile Couple"
Fertility treatments not very effective Expensive fertility treatments resulted in only a 6 percentage point improvement in achieving pregnancy over "infertile" couples who just "kept trying." In a study of 1,145 couples who had been diagnosed as infertile, only half of them were treated to help attain pregnancy. After a two to seven-year follow-up, pregnancies occurred in 41% of the treated couples and 35% of the untreated couples.	Dr. John A. Collins Professor of Obstetrics/Gynecology McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario New England Journal of Medicine November 17, 1983
More evidence fertility treatments not effective Another study of 2,000 couples found "roughly the same" small improvements in achieving pregnancy when comparing couples who sought infertility treatments and those who kept trying.	Dr. John A. Collins Professor of Obstetrics/Gynecology McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Sterility Fertility Journal, Fall of 1993
Infertility treatments are a $1 billion a year industry	HealthFacts Vol. 19(176), January, 1994

Miscarriage rates higher living near agriculture Mothers who lived near crops where certain pesticides were sprayed faced a 40 to 120 percent increase in risk of miscarriage due to birth defects.	Erin Bell (Ph.D.) University of North Carolina School of Public Health SOURCE: Epidemiology, March 2001
*"20% of all cases where the male is the only contributing factor to infertility can be corrected by lifestyle."*	Dr. Wolfram Nolten Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism University of Wisconsin
Lower sperm count increases risk of miscarriage The odds of having a miscarriage or child with birth defects raises dramatically when fathers have lower sperm counts. When the fathers sperm counts were above 80 million/ml they had only a 1% birth defect rate compared to 6% for the general population. Miscarriages were also lower for the fathers with higher sperm counts - 6% compared to 12% for the general population.	Dr. J. K. Sherman University of Arkansas study of 1000 children whose mothers were artificially inseminated with sperm from men whose sperm counts were above 80 million per milliliter. Washington Star Newspaper January 7, 1979
Smokers have lower sperm counts Smokers sperm counts are on average 13%-17% lower than nonsmokers.	Dr. Marilyn F. Vine University of North Carolina Fertility Sterility Journal 6(1):35-43, 1994
Stopping smoking increases sperm counts A study of three smokers who were followed for 5-15 months after stopping smoking reported that their sperm counts rose 50-800%, suggesting that toxic chemicals in the smoke are responsible and any reduction in sperm count is reversible.	(same article as above)
Smokers have more abnormal sperm "Male smokers have an increase in sperm abnormalities, thereby suggesting a mutagenic effect."	Quoted from the American J. of Epidemiology 140(10):921-928, 1994 The original study was reported in the journal Lancet, Volume 1:627-629, 1981
Cigarette consumption increases over 40 years "Cigarette consumption in the U.S. has increased 3-4 fold from 1940 to the beginning of the 1980's."	Dr. R. J. Ravalet Population Develop. Reviews Vol. 16:213-240, 1990
Smokers face higher infertility 38% of female non-smokers conceived in their 1st cycle of attempting pregnancy compared to 28% of smokers. Smokers were also 3-4 times more likely than non-smokers to have taken greater than a year to conceive.	Dr. D. Baird National Institute of Environmental Health, NC Journal of American Medical Association Vol. 253:2979-83, 1985
Abnormally shaped sperm linked to decreased fertilization "A high number of abnormal sperm heads is associated with decreased fertilization. Some drugs such as sulphasalazine, used to treat inflammatory bowel disease can drastically reduce semen quality."	Dr. N. E. Skakkebaek University Dept. of Growth and Reproduction Lancet, June 11, 1994, pg. 1474
Pesticides suspected of causing infertility Men experiencing infertility were found to be employed in agricultural/pesticide related jobs 10 times more often than a study group of men not experiencing infertility. See related articles showing pesticides can damage sperm and testicles.	Dr. Hein Strokum Institute of Sterility Treatment, Vienna, Austria American Journal of Industrial Medicine Vol. 24:587-592, 1983
Common pesticide reduces sperm count Lower sperm counts and obvious damage to the quality of the sperm producing part of the testicles (called the seminiferous tubules), were found in test posed to the pesticide chlordane.	Drs. Khawla J. Balash, Muthanna A. Al-Omar Univ. of Baghdad, Biological Research Center Scientific Research Council, Baghdad, Iraq Bulletin of Environmental Contamination Tox. Vol. 39:434-442, 1987
Infertility caused by pesticide found in the air of most homes built before March 1988 Approximately 75% of U.S. homes are being being found to contain the pesticide chlordane in the breathable air. Of significant concern, over 5% of homes built before March of 1988 have been found to have air levels of the pesticide chlordane above the "safe" level of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. (In homes built before 1980 this is over 20%!). If you would like more detailed information on the chlordane problem and how infertility could be caused by living in one of these homes you can visit the chlordane web site at www.chem-tox.com/chlordane	Drs. Samuel S. Epstein, David Ozonoff School of Public Health, University of Illinois Medical Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, & Mutagenesis Vol. 7:527-540, 1987

Dangerous autoantibodies higher in pesticide exposed people The pesticide Chlorpyrifos (Dursban) was found to cause increases in autoimmune antibodies in people exposed to the pesticide. Autoantibodies are "renegade" immune system components which mistakenly attack the persons own self. (Please see other references in this report which link some cases of male and female infertility to autoimmune disorders in which the immune cells attack either the sperm or egg.	Drs. Jack D. Thrasher, Roberta Madison et. al. Department of Health Science California State University Archives of Environmental Health Vol. 48(2), 1993 March/April
Car exhaust decreases fertility. The common car exhaust compound benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) causes a significant reduction in fertility in test animals and fertility was further lowered when animals were exposed to both BaP and lead simultaneously. Results showed approximately a 33% reduction in ovarian weight and a "marked reduction in ovarian follicles."	Drs. P. Kristensen, Einar Eilertsen, et al. National Institute of Occupation Health, Norway Environmental Health Perspectives Vol. 103:588-590, 1995
Coffee decreases fertility A study of 1,909 women in Connecticut found the risk of not conceiving for 12 months (the usual definition of infertility), was 55% higher for women drinking 1 cup of coffee per day - 100% higher for women drinking 1 and one-half to 3 cups and 176% higher for women drinking more than 3 cups of coffee per day.	Hatah (1990) This study referenced by- Drs. Larry Dulgosz, Michael B. Brachs Yale University School of Medicine Epidemiologic Reviews Vol. 14, pg. 83, 1992
Coffee increases miscarriage risk Coffee drinking before and during pregnancy was associated with over twice the risk of miscarriage when the mother consumed 2-3 cups of coffee per day.	Dr. Claire Infante-Rivard Department of Occupation Health Faculty of Medicine McGill University, Quebec Canada Journal of the American Medical Association December 22, 1993
Coffee reduces blood to the brain Coffee drinking caused a 20-25% reduction in blood flow to the brains of healthy college volunteers 30 minutes after drinking 250 milligrams of caffeine (about the amount in a freshly brewed cup of coffee).	Dr. Roy J . Mathew Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee British Journal of Psychiatry, December, 1984
Spontaneous abortion after chemical exposure Spontaneous abortion increased over 4-fold for women once they became employed as microelectronics assembly workers. This job was found to subject women to a number of chemical solvents used in cleaning the electronic components including xylene, acetone, trichlorethylene, petroleum distillates and others, as well as solder vapors. Acetone is also used in removing nail polish.	Drs. G. Huel, D. Mergler, R. Bowler Quebec Institute for Research in Occupational Health and Safety, University of Quebec, Canada Occupational Medicine Clinic, University of California, San Francisco, California British Journal of Industrial Medicine Vol. 47:400-404, 1990
Cocaine and abnormal offspring Cocaine exposure to males before conceiving is linked to abnormal development in offspring. The suspected cause is that cocaine binds onto the sperm and therefore, finds its way into the egg at fertilization.	Dr. Ricardo Yazigi Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Washington University School of Medicine Journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 66(14), Oct. 9, 1991
MSG greatly reduces pregnancy success MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), a common flavor enhancer added in foods, was found to cause infertility problems in test animals. Male rats fed MSG before mating had less than a 50% success rate (5 of 13 animals), whereas male rats not fed MSG had over a 92% success rate (12 of 13 animals). Also the offspring of the MSG treated males showed shorter body length, reduced testes weights and evidence of overweight at 25 days. MSG is found in ACCENT, flavored potato chips, Doritos, Cheetos, meat seasonings and many packaged soups.	Drs. William J. Pizzi, June E. Barnhart, et. al. Department of Psychology Northeaster Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois Neurobehavioral Toxicology Vol. 2:1-4, 1979

*"20-25% of miscarriages are due to immune system problems."*	Dr. Salim Daya The Fertility Clinic Chedoke-McMaster Hospital, Ontario Chatelaine Magazine, November, 1993
Miscarriages higher after chemical solvent exposure Two solvent chemicals exposed to working pregnant mothers making silicon chips had a 33% miscarriage rate where normally the miscarriage rate is 15%.	Time Magazine October 22, pg. 27,1992
Male infertility and chemicals in drinking water Drinking water from the Thames Water Supply in the United Kingdom was pinpointed as the cause of lower sperm counts and increases in abnormally shaped sperm. Common detergents were the chemical suspected as causing the reproductive damage.	Dr. Jean Ginsburg London Royal Free Hospital Lancet, Jan. 22
Anesthesia linked to birth defects Birth defects occurred nearly 3 times more often in a study of 621 Michigan nurse anesthetists (a nurse who helps with anesthesia preparation). A total of 16.4% of the nurses practicing anesthesia during pregnancy had children with birth defects compared to only 5.7% of nurses not practicing anesthesia.	Drs. Thomas H. Corbett and Richard Cornell Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Anesthesiology, 41(4), 1974
Malfunctioning immune system causes infertility The rate of autoimmune antibodies (antibodies which mistakenly attack the person's own body) was 33% in women unable to deliver a baby to full term and 0% in a control group of women with successful pregnancies.	Dr. Eli Gea In Vitro Fertilization Unit Serlin Maternity Hospital Tel Aviv, Israel Fertility Sterility Journal, 62(4), October, 1994
Risks from medical fertility treatments A common treatment for infertility is administration of follicle stimulating hormones. Regarding this treatment researchers stated, "Persistent stimulation of the ovary by gonadotropins may have a direct carcinogenic effect or an indirect effect attributable to raised concentration of estrogens."	Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Radbond University, Netherlands Lancet, April 17, 1993, pg. 987
Alcohol reduces fertilization success A large 50% reduction in conception was found in experiments of test animals given "intoxicating" doses of alcohol 24 hours prior to mating.	Dr. Theodore J. Cicero Washington University School of Medicine Science News, Vol. 146
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) success rates depend on the woman's age: under 35 years....... 45-50% success 35-40 years............ 28-35% success age 41..................... 20% success 42 and older........... 3% success The cost of IVF can exceed $8,000- (IVF is fertilization taking place in a "test tube" after removal of a woman's egg).	Dr. Rosenwaks New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center Redbook Magazine, August, 1993
Studies of painters found they are more likely to father children with defects of the central nervous system	Dr. Andrew Olshan University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill U.S. News & World Report, December 14, 1992
Dental Workers have over twice the normal number of problems with pregnancy More spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, and congenital defects occurred in dentists and dental assistants compared with the control group (24% compared to 11%, respectively). Five out of six malformations were spina bifida.	Drs. Birgitte Blatter, Marjolihn van der Star, Nel Roeleveld Department of Medical Informatics and Epidemiology, University of Nijmegen, Netherlands International Archives of Occupational & Environmental Health Vol. 59:551-557, 1987
Marijuana use at "moderate" levels was found to stop ovulation in monkeys for 103 to 135 days Researchers also stated that the THC in marijuana may be directly toxic to the developing egg. Dr. Carol Smith, the main researcher, stated, "There are nervous pathways into the hypothalamus (a gland that regulates the reproductive cycle) that are being suppressed." Dr. Smith also stressed that women who are attempting to conceive or who are pregnant should not use marijuana.	Dr. Carol Grace Smith Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. Ricardo Asch, University of Texas, Austin Science, March 25, 1983 Also reported in Science News, March 26, 1983

Sperm damage was about 50% higher in test posed to the anesthesia enflurane. Anesthesia levels given to the animals was equal to the level that could be given to humans.

Dr. Paul C. Land and E. L. Owen

Department of Anesthesia, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois

Anesthesiology, 54:53-56, 1981

Quotes from the Harvard Health Letter:

"8-10% of sperm from healthy men are abnormal, some carry the wrong chromosome while others have bits and pieces of genetic material out of place."

"Because a child conceived by intoxicated parents was thought to be unhealthy, the ancient cities of Carthage and Sparta had laws prohibiting the use of alcohol by newlyweds."

"The earliest evidence of a link between job occupation and reproductive problems came out in 1860 when a French scientist noted that wives of lead workers were less likely to become pregnant, and if they did were more prone to miscarrying."

"A survey of animal data indicates that paternal (father) exposure to environmental toxins - ranging from recreation drugs to industrial chemicals - apparently contribute to problems ranging from fetal loss and stillbirth to diminished aptitude for learning to perform tasks such as running a maze."

Harvard Health Letter

October, 1992

Other Points from the Harvard Health Letter:

Men who work in aircraft industry or handle paints or chemical solvents have higher risk of producing children with brain tumors.

"Father exposure to paints linked to childhood Leukemias."

Firemen appear to produce an unusually high number of abnormal sperm and be less fertile than other males. (This is believed to be due to the toxic smoke which results when carpets, furniture and paints are burned - of which today are made from synthetic/plastic based compounds).

(page 6 of above reference)

Miscarriages warn of genetic damage
90% of fetuses with malformations are spontaneously aborted during early pregnancy. 60% of first trimester spontaneous abortions have chromosome abnormalities.

Dr. Frank M. Sullivan

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

University of London

Environmental Health Perspectives

101(Suppl.2):13-18, 1993

Little is known on the reproductive dangers of chemicals
Regarding chemicals in the workplace, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Economic Community (EEC) prepared lists of several thousand chemicals produced in amounts of more than 1000 tons per year and many produced at 10,000 tons/year. "Toxicological data of any type exist for a few hundred and reproductive toxicology data exist for probably 100."

Dr. Frank M. Sullivan

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

University of London

Environmental Health Perspectives

101(Suppl.2):13-18, 1993

Miscarriage increases from chemical solvents:

The major risk chemicals were:

perchlorethylene (dry cleaning)..... 4.7 times greater risk

trichloroethylene (dry cleaning)..... 3.1 times greater risk

paint thinners ............................... 2.1 times greater risk

paint strippers ............................... 2.1 times greater risk

glycol ethers (found in paints)........ 2.9 times greater risk

Dr. Gayle C. Windham, Ph.D.

Dr. Dennis Shusterman, MD, MPH

School of Public Health

University of California, Berkely

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

Vol. 20:241-259, 1991

Further evidence chemicals damage reproduction.

Quotes from Dr. Baranski, Institute of Occupation Medicine, Denmark:

"Risk of infertility increased in females who reported exposures to textile dyes, dry cleaning chemicals, noise, lead, mercury and cadmium."

"There was a significant risk of increased time to conception among women exposed to anti-rust agents, welding, plastic manufacturing, lead, mercury, cadmium, or anesthetic agents."

"There was also an increased risk of delay to conception following male exposure to textile dyes, plastic manufacturing, and welding. Those who unpacked or handled antibiotics had a significant association with delayed pregnancy of at least 12 months."

Dr. Boguslaw Baranski

Institute of Occupational Medicine, Copenhagen, Denmark

Conference on the Impact of the Environment and Reproductive Health held in Denmark, September 4, 1991

Environmental Health Perspectives

Vol. 101(suppl 2), pg. 85, 1993

Biological reasons for infertility:

Tubal Factors.............................. 36%

Ovulatory Disorders ..................... 33%

Endometriosis.......................... ..... 6%

No known Cause......................... 40%

Dr. David Lindsay

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Lancet, June 18, 1994

Chromosome abnormalities occur in 26% of human oocytes (eggs) and 10% of sperm.

(above reference)

"Recurrent miscarriage is associated with parental chromosome abnormalities, antiphospholipid antibodies and uterine cavity abnormalities. Premature ovarian failure (inability of ovaries to produce eggs) may be genetically determined or associated with autoimmune disease."

Dr. David Lindsay

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Lancet, June 18, 1994

Stillbirth, preterm delivery and small birth weight were higher in certain jobs with chemical exposures in a study of 2,096 mothers and 3,170 fathers.

Women working in rubber, plastics or synthetics industry had an 80% greater chance of stillbirth. Father employment in the textile industry (chemical dyes, plastics, formaldehyde, etc.) resulted in their wives having a 90% greater risk of stillbirth. Exposure of the father to the chemicals polyvinyl alcohol and benzene (found in gasoline, cleaning solvents, adhesives and oil based paints) was associated with a 50% increase in preterm delivery.

Study funded by the March of Dimes

Drs. David A. Savitz, Elizabeth A. Whelan and Robert C. Kleckner

School of Public Health, University of NC

American Journal of Epidemiology

Vol. 129(6):1201-1218, 1989

Chemicals found to mimic human estrogens.

A proper balance of natural estrogens in the body is essential for reproductive success. However, reports have been suggesting that environmental estrogens (chemicals which "mimic" our natural estrogens) are creating infertility problems by confusing the body's estrogen receptors. Some pesticides have already been shown to be environmental estrogens. New research shows that more chemicals are being found to be environmental estrogens including the food additives butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) Other chemicals found to be somewhat estrogenic include, PVC plastics.

Dr. Susan Jobling, Tracey Reynolds, Roger White, Malcolm G. Parker, and John Sumpter

Department of Biology and Biochemistry

Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology

Brunel University, London

Environmental Health Perspectives

Vol. 103:582-587, 1995

Environmental Causes of Infertility takes up where this website left off. The report is absolutely a "must-have" for every couple having difficulty conceiving. It includes all of the above listed studies as well as additional medical summaries and analysis of the scientific research showing how common chemicals in the home and job can seriously weaken the reproductive processes. Certainly, having this research available together in one easy to read report will greatly increase a couples chance of success (and spouse cooperation...).

Any couple reading this report together will have a completely new outlook regarding the fragility of conception. By laying out the research - study after study - it is sure to encourage modification of lifestyle habits of either spouse. By transferring awareness into real-life changes, couples will greatly improve their odds of conception by removing circumstances found to weaken or damage the reproductive processes. The report exposes the serious lack of testing regarding today's modern chemicals and also discusses the latest research showing how the same chemicals causing infertility and miscarriage can also cause child behavior and learning problems.

Some of the additional research detailed in Environmental Causes of Infertility include - evidence regarding the

1) Reproductive risks of common cosmetic chemicals -

2) Alcohol and marijuana effects -

3) Food additive studies - (specifically MSG) -

4) Pesticides and human hormones -

5) Sperm Damage from a common pesticide found in over 75% of U.S. homes -

6) Relationship between sperm count and fertility -

7) Hazards from anesthesia -

8) Over 20 studies on the infertility effects of coffee and

9) A fascinating1960 study showing how consumption of certain food types is apparently able to damage the sperm development process.

Each research summary includes the scientists' names - agency or university conducting the research - and the medical journal name date and volume. This detailed documentation provides the credibility and support couples need to begin these important lifestyle changes. If you have a local doctor you are currently seeing - he would certainly be interested in this research as well.

In light of the fact that most infertile couples spend tens of thousands of dollars on questionable treatments (which the research states doesn't significantly increase the chance of conception anyway), - the information in Environmental Causes of Infertility is certainly a logical first step toward correcting the problem intelligently, by addressing the causes of the problem, rather than just the symptom. Download this ground breaking report for no charge. All we ask is you let us know if implementation of these suggestions resulted in conception.

Thank you,
Chem-Tox

coffee	MSG	plastics	nutrasweet
alcohol	food additives	cosmetic chemicals	job occupations
cigarettes	pesticide use	vehicle exhaust	geographic locations