Reproduction

O13.1 FERTILITY AND EXPOSURE TO SOLVENTS AMONG FAMILIES IN THE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH STUDY

M. Sallmén^1,2, D. D. Baird¹, J. A. Hoppin¹, A. Blair³, D. P. Sandler¹.¹National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA; ²Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland; ³National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

Introduction: Data on the associations between exposure to solvents and reduced fertility as measured by prolonged times to conception are fairly consistent for female exposure, but inconclusive for male exposure. This study investigated the impact of solvent exposure on infertility among married male licensed pesticide applicators and their spouses in the Agricultural Health Study cohort.

Methods: Enrolment took place between 1993 and 1997, and 75% of the eligible couples participated. Cross sectional questionnaire information on work tasks was used to assess female and male exposure to solvents. To limit exposure misclassification, the data were limited to couples (wife less than 40 years of age) with an attempt at pregnancy in the last four years (n = 2112). Infertility was defined as not conceiving a pregnancy after at least 12 months of unprotected intercourse, regardless of whether or not a pregnancy ultimately occurred. Infertility odds ratios (OR) for exposure to solvents were calculated with logistic regression, with adjustment for potential confounders.

Results: Twenty eight per cent of the couples were defined as infertile. Female exposure to solvents was associated with infertility (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.75). Male exposure was associated with infertility in a dose-response pattern (OR 1.21, CI 0.93 to 1.57 for monthly exposure and 1.40, CI 0.97 to 2.03 for daily or weekly exposure). Because farming is a family business and jobs may be passed back and forth between husbands and wives depending on the family circumstances, we also defined a variable for parental exposure (either parent …