Air Pollution May Jeopardize IVF Treatment Success: Study

Air pollution could negatively affect in vitro fertilization (IVF) success, according to a new study from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.

This research investigates the impact of air pollution on both the quality of embryos and survival of eggs.

IVF involves combining a woman’s eggs and a man’s sperm in a lab dish, incubating the resulting embryos, and transferring one or more into the woman’s uterus. However, only about a quarter of fertilized eggs yield an embryo.

Using air pollution data from the Environmental Protection Agency and donor eggs, the researchers could examine separate impacts on sperm and eggs. They analyzed data from 915 male-female couples and 500 egg donors.

They found a link between increased exposure to air pollution during sperm and egg development and lower embryo quality and egg survival. Higher concentrations of certain pollutants, like organic carbon, also correlated with lower survival and fertilization rates.

Mary Willis, an assistant professor at Boston University School of Public Health, praised the study’s methodology, saying it provided specific answers to intricate biological questions.

These findings coincide with another study presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology’s annual meeting, which found that air pollution exposure could decrease IVF success by 38%.

Despite improving air quality in the US, nearly 40% of the population lives in areas with unhealthy pollution levels, says the American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report. This issue is more prevalent among people of color.

Fertility specialist Dr. Sebastian Leathersich emphasized the harm pollution causes to human health, including reproduction. He urged for immediate action against climate change, highlighting its threat to reproductive health.