Air pollutants warning for women undergoing assisted reproduction

Research conducted by Shanghai's Renji Hospital has found exposure to air pollutants can reduce live births by women undergoing assisted reproductive technology.

The research, "Ambient air pollution on fecundity and live birth in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology in the Yangtze River Dealt of China", was published in leading journal Environment International.

Due to reduced fertility and the policy allowing couples to have more children, births by assisted reproductive services has been increased by five times in China, from 0.46 percent in 2009 to 2.37 percent in 2018.

Dr Sun Yun's team studied 12,665 coupes undergoing such services in the hospital from 2015 and 2019, while combining the data of 149 air quality monitoring spots in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Experts studied the data from one year before egg harvesting, and found the exposure to PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and CO can greatly reduce the live birth rate of women with assisted reproductive technology, especially among those with frozen-thawed embryo transplants.

Couple undergoing these procedures are reminded to reduce exposure to dust and vehicle waste, experts said.