Search

Objectives: The purpose of this paper was to analyze the relationship between the selected chemical air pollutants found in the Lublin Province and the semen parameters of men seeking fertility treatment for the first time.Material and Methods: The study involved an analysis of semen sample test results obtained from male patients first reporting for fertility treatment in reproductive health centers in the Lublin Province, Poland. The data set comprises semen parameters of 13 148 men, and the number of samples in the reference period was 255-769 annually. Data on air pollution were obtained from the website of the Polish General Environmental Inspectorate and included selected chemical air pollutant levels, i.e., NO2, SO2, O3, and PM10.Results: The mean PM10 levels in the air increased, on average, by 0.65 μg/m3 annually in 2000-2015 (p = 0.029); the mean levels of O3, NO2, SO2 did not change significantly in the analyzed period. There were increasing trends in the mean sperm density and total sperm count of the subjects in 1992-2015 (p < 0.001). The mean percentage of sperm with normal morphology significantly decreased in the subsequent analysis periods: 1992-1998 (p = 0.001); 1999-2009 (p < 0.001); 2010-2015 (p = 0.001). A significant negative correlation was found between the ozone levels in the air in the Lublin Province and the percentage of sperm with normal morphology (r = -0.8311, p = 0.040).Conclusions: Exposure to ozone in the air contributes to decreased percentages of sperm with normal sperm morphology. Over the years, there was an increasing trend in sperm density in the men first reporting for fertility treatment, and a decreasing trend in the percentage of sperm with normal morphology. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(3):387-99. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objective: The male reproductive system constitutes a set of tissues which are particularly sensitive to external factors. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between background radioactivity and the quality of the semen of the men who have reported to the infertility treatment facility in 2000-2016 in the Lublin region of eastern Poland., Material and Methods: The radioactivity of the ground-level air layer obtained from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management in Włodawa in the Lublin region was analysed. 4,250 spermiograms of patients who reported to the treatment facility for the first time due to infertility were analysed and correlated to background radioactivity in the Lublin region in 2000-2016., Results: A long-term decrease in the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa of the patients was observed (r=-0.970; p<0.001 in 2000-2009 and r=-0.925; p=0.003 in 2010-2016). Men's age correlated negatively with sperm motility (r=-0.164; p=0.009) and morphology (r=-0.186; p=0.009). The percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology was lowered by beta-isotopes of artificial origin in the air in 2000-2009 (r=-0.655; p=0.040) and by the exposure to gamma radiation of the ground-level atmosphere in 2010-2016 (r=-0.676; p=0.048). The percentage of sperm vitality was lowered by gamma radiation in the atmosphere (r=-0.636; p=0.006), but improved by beta isotopes in precipitation (r=0.686; p=0.002) in the whole of the analyzed period., Conclusions: The percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa in patients who reported to the infertility treatment depends not only on the age of patient, but also on beta-isotopes of artificial origin and gamma radiation in the atmosphere. Beta isotopes in precipitation affect the improvement of sperm vitality.

The etiology of diminished sperm quality in about 30% of male infertility cases generally remains unexplained. Some studies have suggested that specific nutritional factors can affect semen quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate an association between dietary patterns (DPs) and the risk of abnormal semen quality parameters in men. This cross-sectional study was carried out in 114 men aged 20⁻55 years from Poland. Semen parameters were assessed via computer-aided semen. Diet was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). DPs were derived using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Two DPs were derived: Pro-healthy and Western. After adjusting for potential confounders, the risk of abnormal progressive motility was significantly higher in the middle (OR: 2.89, 95% CI: 1.03⁻8.09) and upper (OR: 7.78, 95% CI: 1.52⁻15.06) tertiles of the Western DP. A trend for increased risk of the abnormal total count, progressive motility, and morphology ( P -trend < 0.050) was found in Western DP. To conclude, the Western DP may increase the risk of abnormal semen parameters, whereas no association was found in the case of Pro-healthy DP. These findings stand in contrast to an increasing number of research findings indicating a positive relation between intake of healthy foods or diet and semen quality parameters. The results highlight the need to study whether modifications in diet and lifestyle factors improve semen quality.