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Impacts of Air Pollution on Gynecologic Disease: Infertility, Menstrual Irregularity, Uterine Fibroids, and Endometriosis: a Systematic Review and Commentary

  • Environmental Epidemiology (F Laden and J Hart, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Air pollution is widely known to affect human cardiopulmonary health, but only recently has research begun to focus on understanding the association between ambient air pollution and reproductive health and gynecologic disease incidence. In this article, we conducted a systematic literature review to examine studies conducted to evaluate the association between air pollution and the heterogeneous gynecologic diseases of infertility, menstrual irregularity, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis. In this review, the authors discuss exposure assessment considerations, outcome definitions, statistical analyses, and relevant biological mechanisms, and also provide ideas for future directions of research.

Recent Findings

Emerging literature evaluated associations between gynecologic diseases of infertility, menstrual irregularity, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis with air pollution exposures, specifically fine particulate matter (particles ≤ 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter [PM2.5]), coarse particulate matter (particles 2.5–10 μm in aerodynamic diameter [PM2.5–10]), traffic-related pollutants (NO2, NOx), and proximity to major roadways. Suggestive associations have been observed with distance to road and traffic exposures with incident infertility, fertility rates, and menstrual cycle irregularity. However, to date, the number of studies examining similar exposures and outcomes has been quite limited.

Summary

While initial studies suggest a potential relationship between air pollution and both infertility and menstrual irregularity, more studies need to be performed to validate these findings in other datasets and populations.

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Funding

SM would like to acknowledge the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Womens Health (HD043444 BIRCWH K12) and the Reproductive Scientist Development Program (HD000849 RSDP K12) for funding and support of the research team to conduct the series of papers noted in this review on air pollution and gynecologic disease incidence. SM would like to acknowledge the Boston University Superfund Research Program (BU SRP) for support during post-doctoral work on this topic. JEH was supported by P30 ES000002.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University School of Medicine, 85 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Shruthi Mahalingaiah & J. Jojo Cheng

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Talbot, Boston University School of Public Health, 3E, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Shruthi Mahalingaiah

  3. Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Boston University Medical Campus, 670 Albany Street 5th Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Shruthi Mahalingaiah

  4. Department of Environmental Health, Talbot, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Kevin J. Lane

  5. Department of Biostatistics, Talbot, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Chanmin Kim

  6. Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Jaime E. Hart

  7. Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Jaime E. Hart

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Correspondence to Shruthi Mahalingaiah.

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Shruthi Mahalingaiah, Kevin J. Lane, Chanmin Kim, J. Jojo Cheng, and Jaime E. Hart declare no conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Mahalingaiah, S., Lane, K.J., Kim, C. et al. Impacts of Air Pollution on Gynecologic Disease: Infertility, Menstrual Irregularity, Uterine Fibroids, and Endometriosis: a Systematic Review and Commentary. Curr Epidemiol Rep 5, 197–204 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40471-018-0157-9

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