Women
Three capsules contain: Vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopherol) 150 mg • Vitamin B6 (as
pyridoxine hydrochloride) 6 mg • Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) 12 mcg • Folate (as
folic acid) 400 mcg • Iron (as gluconate) 18 mg • Magnesium (as oxide) 400 mg • Zinc
(as gluconate) • Selenium (as sodium selenate) 70 mcg • Proprietary Blend 1080 mg:
Chasteberry (Vitex agnus castus standardized to .5% agnusides), Green Tea (Camellia
sinensis standardized to 50% phenols), L-arginine.
nfertility. There is some preliminary clinical evidence that taking chasteberry orally can
increase the chance of getting pregnant in women who are infertile due to relative
progesterone deficiency. However, chasteberry does not seem to work quickly. It can
take from 3-7 months of treatment to achieve pregnancy (6500,7012,7077). Infertility.
Some research suggests that daily consumption of folic acid 5 mg plus zinc sulfate 66 mg
can increase sperm count in subfertile men. Further study is required to determine the
effect of this combination on infertility (9334).
Sem Hop. 1982 Jan 28;58(4):209-12.
Related Articles, Links
[Infertility and carbohydrate metabolism. A study of 93 cases
(author's transl)]
[Article in French]
Pinget M, Dufour P, Gandar R, Jacques C, Bihr X, Goetzmann P, Dorner M.
An oral glucose tolerance test was performed in 93 women with unexplained
infertility (sterility or repeated abortions). An abnormal carbohydrate metabolism
was found in 1/3 of the cases (32 patients). Advice on diet control, provided to all
of these patients, was followed only by 13.9 of these, who conceived less than 6
months after initiation of the low carbohydrate diet, achieved full-term pregnancy.
These results suggest a relationship between infertility and glucose intolerance. A
glucose tolerance test should be performed in all women presenting unexplained
infertility.
Epidemiology. 2003 Jul;14(4):429-36.
Related Articles, Links
Risk factors for female infertility in an agricultural region.
Greenlee AR, Arbuckle TE, Chyou PH.
Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, WI 54449, USA.
greenlee.anne@mmrf.mfldclin.edu
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that agricultural occupations or
exposure to pesticides may impair female fertility. METHODS: The Fertility Risk
Factor Study retrospectively examined agricultural and residential exposures and
the risk of female infertility. Cases and controls (N = 322 each) came from
women who sought treatment at a large group medical clinic in Wisconsin.
Women and their male partners provided information on health, occupational and
lifestyle exposures in response to a telephone interview during 1997-2001.
RESULTS: Mixing and applying herbicides 2 years before attempting conception
was more common among infertile women (odds ratio [OR] = 27; 95%
confidence interval [CI] = 1.9-380), as was the use of fungicides (OR = 3.3; CI =
0.8-13). Residing on a farm, ranch or in a rural area during this time period was
protective of female fertility. Households supplied with central Wisconsin
groundwater were at less risk for infertility than households using municipal
sources (OR = 0.6; CI = 0.4-0.9). Behavioral risk factors included alcohol
consumption (OR = 1.8; 1.2-2.5), smoking (1.6; 0.9-2.9), passive smoke exposure
(1.8; 1.2-2.5), steady weight gain in adult life (3.5; 2.0-6.1), and having a male
partner over the age of 40 (4.5; 1.2-16.3). Drinking 3 or more glasses of milk per
day was protective of female fertility (0.3; 0.1-0.7). CONCLUSION: These
results suggest that certain agricultural, residential and lifestyle choices may
modify the risk of female infertility
Am J Epidemiol. 1997 Feb 15;145(4):324-34.
Related Articles, Links
Caffeine intake and delayed conception: a European multicenter
study on infertility and subfecundity. European Study Group on
Infertility Subfecundity.
Bolumar F, Olsen J, Rebagliato M, Bisanti L.
Department of Public Health, Alicante University, Spain.
The effects of caffeine consumption on delayed conception were evaluated in a
European multicenter study on risk factors of infertility. Information was
collected retrospectively on time of unprotected intercourse for the first pregnancy
and the most recent waiting time episode in a randomly selected sample of 3,187
women aged 25-44 years from five European countries (Denmark, Germany,
Italy, Poland, and Spain) between August 1991 and February 1993. The
consumption of caffeinated beverages at the beginning of the waiting time was
used to estimate daily caffeine intake, which was categorized as 0-100, 101-300,
301-500, and > or = 501 mg. Risk of subfecundity (> or = 9.5 months) and the
fecundability ratio, respectively, were assessed by logistic regression and Cox
proportional hazard analyses, adjusting for age, parity, smoking, alcohol
consumption, frequency of intercourse, educational level, working status, use of
oral contraceptives, and country. A significantly increased odds ratio (OR) of 1.45
(95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-2.04) for subfecundity in the first pregnancy
was observed for women drinking more than 500 mg of caffeine per day, the
effect being relatively stronger in smokers (OR = 1.56, 95% CI 0.92-2.63) than in
nonsmokers (OR = 1.38, 95% CI 0.85-2.23). Women in the highest level of
consumption had an increase in the time leading to the first pregnancy of 11%
(hazard ratio = 0.90, 95% CI 0.78-1.03). These associations were observed
consistently in all countries as well as for the most recent waiting time episode.
The authors conclude that high levels of caffeine intake may delay conception
among fertile women.
Human Reproduction, Vol. 16, No. 2, 370-373, February 2001
© 2001 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Selected food intake and risk of multiple pregnancies
Fabio Parazzini1,2,4, Liliane Chatenoud1, Gaia Bettoni3, Luca Tozzi3, Simonetta
Turco3, Matteo Surace1, Elisabetta Di Cintio1 and Guido Benzi1
Abstract
In order to explore the association between multiple birth risk and diet, data were
analysed from a case-control study on risk factors for multiple births conducted in Italy
between 1988 and 1998. A total of 185 cases (median age 30 years) were interviewed: 36
women delivered monozygotic and 149 delivered spontaneous dizygotic multiple births.
The control group comprised 498 women who gave birth at term (>37 weeks gestation) to
healthy infants on randomly selected days at the same clinic. Women were specifically
excluded if they reported a history of multiple pregnancy or they had received treatment
for infertility for the index pregnancy. No marked differences emerged in daily intake
between cases and controls and a total of 35 foods items, including the major sources of
beta-carotene, retinol, ascorbic acid, vitamin D, E, methionine folate and calcium in the
Italian diet. Likewise intake of selected micronutrients was largely similar in dizygotic
cases, monozygotic cases and controls, with the only exception of a slightly lower intake
of folates in dizygotic pregnancies in comparison with controls: this difference was
statistically significant (P < 0.05), but limited in quantitative terms (mean daily intake of
folate 192.4, 183.2 and 191.4 µg respectively in monozygotic, dizygotic cases and
controls). In conclusion, the results of this study do not support the role of diet in the
development of multiple births.
Key words: diet/epidemiology/foods/multiple births/risk factor
Introduction
Several observations have linked the intake of various nutrients/dietary factors to
reproduction. There is now some evidence that low intake of salad or high intake of
vitamin A increases the risk of malformations (Czeizel and Dudas, 1992 ; Czeizel et al.,
1994a ). Further, deficiencies of proteins or vitamin A have been associated in animals
with the risk of miscarriage (O'Toole et al., 1974 ) and in humans of hydatidiform mole
(Berkowitz et al., 1985 ; Parazzini et al., 1988 ).
With regard to multiple births, deprivation/low dietary intake during World War II has
been suggested to explain the peak in twinning rates after the end of World War II
observed in several countries (Parazzini et al., 1998 ; Bortolus et al., 1999 ). Otherwise,
an association between vitamin supplementation and subsequent multiple birth has been
reported in an Hungarian trial (Czeizel, 1993 ; Czeizel et al., 1994b ). However this
finding has not been confirmed in the Medical Research Council (MRC) study and in the
prospective study of nutrition, smoking and pregnancy outcome conducted in the UK
(MRC Vitamin Study Research Group, 1991 ; Mathews et al., 1999 ).
In order to explore the association between multiple birth risk and diet, data were
analysed from a case control study on risk factors for multiple births conducted in Italy.
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Discussion
References
Materials and methods
The general design of this study has been previously described (Parazzini et al., 1993 ,
1996 ). Briefly, between January 1988 and March 1998, a case-control study was
conducted on risk factors for multiple pregnancies. Trained interviewers identified and
questioned cases and controls using a standard questionnaire. Multiple births in patients
who received treatments for infertility (assisted reproduction techniques or treatment for
ovulation induction) were not included. An effort was made to define the zygosity.
Between January 1988 and February 1989, the cases included in the study were women
who delivered different sex multiple births at the Clinica Luigi Mangiagalli (the largest
maternity hospital in Milan). In the periods 1989–1990 zygosity was defined on the basis
of chromosome polymorphism in leukocytes (Paris Conference 1971, 1972 ),
consequently all monozygotic twins included in the study were collected in that period. In
other calendar periods, cases collected were women who delivered different sex multiple
births only.
A total of 185 cases (median age 30 years) was interviewed: 36 women delivered
monozygotic and 149 dizygotic multiple births. Of these, one delivered three babies. The
control group comprised women who gave birth at term (>37 weeks gestation) to healthy
infants on randomly selected days at the same clinic. Women were specifically excluded
if they reported a history of multiple pregnancy or they had received treatment for
infertility for the index pregnancy. A total of 498 control women (median age 30 years)
were interviewed. Less than 2% of cases and controls refused to be interviewed. The
present report is based on data collected until March 1998.
Information was collected on general sociodemographic characteristics, personal habits,
gynaecological and obstetric history. Further, the weekly frequency of consumption of 35
food items before conception diagnosis was elicited, including the major sources of betacarotene, retinol, ascorbic acid, vitamin D and E, methionine, folate and calcium.
Information on portion size was also collected (small/average/large). The micronutrient
intake of the food items considered was computed by multiplying the consumption
frequency of each unit of food by the nutrient content of the standard average portions,
using the Italian tables of food composition (Fidanza and Verdiglioni, 1988 ) integrated
by other sources, when required (Souci et al., 1986 ; Paul and Southgate, 1988 ).
Statistical analysis
The odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated as
estimates of relative risk of multiple birth for selected factors including education, family
history of multiple birth and parity. To account simultaneously for the effects of age and
those factors, unconditional multiple logistic regression with maximum likelihood fitting
was used (Breslow and Day, 1980 ). Means and SD of food intake items were calculated
using age, years of education, parity and family history as co-variates. When means of
micronutrients were calculated, total energy intake was added to the other co-variates
listed above.
The distribution of cases and controls according to selected characteristics is shown in
Table I . Dizygotic cases were less frequently parous and less educated than controls. A
family history of multiple birth was more frequently reported both from dizygotic and
monozygotic cases.
View this table: Table I. Distribution of cases and controls according to age and
[in this window] selected factors
[in a new
window]
Table II shows the estimated mean daily intake of considered foods. Mean values of
selected micronutrients such as beta-carotene, folate and calcium for cases and controls
respectively are shown in Table III . No marked differences emerged in daily intake
between cases and controls of considered foods. Likewise, intake of selected
micronutrients was largely similar in dizygotic, monozygotic cases and controls with the
only exception of a slightly lower intake of folates in dizygotic pregnancies in comparison
with controls: the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05), but limited in
quantitative terms.
View this table: Table II. Mean and SD of weekly intake of selected food items
[in this window]
[in a new window]
View this table: Table III. Mean and SD daily intake of selected micronutrients
[in this window]
[in a new window]
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Discussion
References
Discussion
Limitations of this study should be considered. Dizygotic and monozygotic multiple
pregnancies represent two different entities, thus any analysis of determinants of risk of
multiple births should consider them separately. Unfortunately detailed information on
zygosity was available only for cases interviewed during a limited period. Thus, although
information was collected on about 185 multiple pregnancies, monozygotic pregnancies
were only 36. Consequently, numbers were limited for formal statistical evaluation or
inference on the differences between the two entities.
Information was collected while women were in hospital for delivery. The food frequency
questionnaire was tested for reproducibility (D'Avanzo et al., 1997 ), but not validated.
However, any potential problem of validation is unlikely to have produced any major
misclassification between cases and controls. In addition, at the time of data collection,
the possible relationship between diet and multiple birth was almost certainly unknown to
interviewers and most of the women interviewed. Only a small portion of the
questionnaire was related to dietary factors, so the interviewers' and patients' attention
was probably not concentrated on those aspects.
Information was limited to only a few dietary items, in terms of usual number of portions
per week. Still, the food groups investigated include the major sources of carotenoids and
folates (vegetables and fruit), as well retinoids, vitamins and calcium (milk, cheese and
eggs in Italy). Selection bias is also unlikely to have produced marked effects, especially
since cases and controls were recruited in the same institutions and participation was
practically complete. The choice of control women who delivered healthy infants at term
may have introduced some potential bias. A low caloric intake may be associated with
low birth weight infants. Since women who gave birth to low birth weight infants were
not included in the control group, but were included among cases, an association between
diet and multiple births may arise. However, the inclusion and exclusion of cases who
delivered low birth weight infants did not markedly change the result of this analysis (data
not shown). Further, allowance was made for potential confounders, including indicators
of socio-economic status, and other major known or likely determinants of the risk of
multiple births. Bearing in mind these limitations, the results of this study do not show
any association between selected dietary factors considered including milk, cheese and
potatoes and risk of multiple birth.
Published findings on the relationship between diet/vitamin intake and multiple births are
scanty and controversial. Nylander (Nylander, 1979 ) noted that in Nigeria the dizygotic
twinning rate was four times higher in lower social class than in upper social class
women. He suggested that such a high incidence might be due to the presence in the diet
of oestrogen-like substances. Also, food storage conditions were suggested to have some
influence on hormonal concentrations. For example zearalenone, a mycotoxin, may have
an oestrogenic potency.
Some findings from a Hungarian randomized controlled trial have suggested that
periconceptional multivitamin supplementation may increase the rate of multiple births
(Czeizel, 1993 ; Czeizel et al., 1994b ). Similar findings, although not completely
consistent, also emerged from a re-analysis of data sets of three American studies on risk
factors for congenital malformations (Werler et al., 1997 ). Other randomized studies,
however, did not confirm these findings (MRC Vitamin Study Research Group, 1991 ;
Mathews et al., 1999 ). No association was found between selected food intake
(including major sources of vitamins in Italian diet) and risk of multiple births in the
current study. In particular, estimated intakes of vitamins were not associated with the
risk of dizygotic and monozygotic pregnancies. Although amounts of vitamins may be
more elevated after supplementation than those due to diet intake, the results of this study
do not support the existence of a major role of diet in the development of multiple births.
Notes
4
To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche
`Mario Negri', Via Eritrea 62, 20157 Milano, Italy. E-mail: parazzini@irfmn.mnegri.it
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Discussion
References
References
Berkowitz, R.S., Cramer, D.W. and Bernstein, M.R. (1985) Risk factors for complete
molar pregnancy from a case control study. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 152,
1016.[ISI][Medline]
Bortolus, R., Parazzini, F., Chatenoud, L. et al. (1999) The epidemiology of multiple
births. Hum. Reprod., 5, 179–187.[Abstract]
Breslow, N.E. and Day, N.E. (1980) Statistical Methods in Cancer Research, vol. 1. The
Analysis of Case Control Studies. IARC Science Publishers, number 32.
Czeizel, A.E. (1993) Controlled studies of multivitamin supplementation on pregnancy
outcomes. Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 678, 266–275.[Abstract]
Czeizel, A.E. and Dudas, I. (1992) Prevention of the first occurrence of neural tube
defects by periconceptional vitamin supplementation. N. Engl. J. Med., 327, 1832–
1835.[Abstract]
Czeizel, A.E., Dudas, I. and Metneki, J. (1994a) Pregnancy outcomes in a randomised
controlled trial of periconceptional multivitamin supplementation. Arch. Gynecol.
Obstet., 255, 131–139.[ISI][Medline]
Czeizel, A.E., Metneki, J. and Dudas, I. (1994b) The higher rate of multiple births after
periconceptional multivitamin supplementation: an analysis of causes. Acta Genet. Med.
Gemellol., 43, 175–184.[Medline]
D'Avanzo, B., La Vecchia, C., Katsouyanni, K. et al. (1997) An assessment, and
reproducibility of food frequency data provided by hospital controls. Eur. J. Cancer
Prev., 6, 288–293.[ISI][Medline]
Fidanza, F. and Verdiglioni, N. (1988) Tabelle di composizione degli alimenti. In
Fidanza, F. and Liguori, G. (eds), Nutrizione umana. Idelson, Naples, pp. 677–730.
Mathews, F., Murphy, M., Wald, N.J. et al. (1999) Twinning and folic acid use. Lancet,
353, 291–292.[ISI][Medline]
MRC Vitamin Study Research Group (1991) Prevention of neural tube defects: results of
the Medical Research Council vitamin study. Lancet, 338, 131–137.[ISI][Medline]
Nylander, P.P. (1979) The twinning incidence of Nigeria. Acta Genet. Med. Gemellol.,
28, 261–263.[Medline]
O'Toole, B.A., Fradkin, R., Warkany, J. et al. (1974) Vitamin A deficiency and
reproduction in Rhesus monkeys. J. Nutr., 104, 1513–1524.[ISI][Medline]
Parazzini, F., La Vecchia, C., Mangili, G. et al. (1988) Dietary factors and risk of
trophoblastic disease. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 158, 93–99.[ISI][Medline]
Parazzini, F., Tozzi, L., Ferraroni, M. et al. (1993) Risk factors for multiple births. Acta
Obstet. Gynecol. Scand., 72, 177–180.[ISI][Medline]
Parazzini, F., Chatenoud, L., Benzi, G. et al. (1996) Coffee and alcohol intake, smoking
and risk of multiple pregnancy. Hum. Reprod., 11, 2306–2309.[Abstract]
Parazzini, F., Benzi, G., La Vecchia, C. et al. (1998) Temporal trends in twinning rates in
Italy around World War II. Hum. Reprod., 13, 3279–3280.[Free Full Text]
Paris Conference, 1971 (1972) Standardization in human cytogenetics. In Birth defects.
Orig. Art. Ser., 7, The National Foundation, New York.
Paul, A.A. and Southgate, D.A.T. (1988) The Composition of Foods. HMSO, London.
Souci, S.W., Fachmann, W. and Kraut, H. (1986) Food Composition and Nutrition
Tables 1986/87, 3rd edn. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
Werler, M.M., Cragan, J.D., Wasserman, C.R. et al. (1997). Multivitamin
supplementation and multiple births. Am. J. Med. Genet., 71, 93–96.[ISI][Medline]
Men
Two capsules contain: Vitamin C as ascorbic acid 120 mg • Vitamin E as d-alpha
tocopherol 150 mg • Vitamin B6 as pyridoxine hydrochloride 2 mg • Vitamin B12 as
cyanocobalamin 6 mcg • Folate as folic acid 400 mcg • Zinc as gluconate 15 mg •
Selenium as sodium selenate 70 mcg • Proprietary Blend 610 mg: L-Carnitine as tartrate,
Dong Quai (standardized to .1% ferulic acid), Coenzyme Q10.
Inactive Ingredients: Rice Flour Powder, Magnesium Stearate, Silica.
Balercia G, Mosca F, Mantero F, et al. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation in infertile men
with idiopathic asthenozoospermia: an open, uncontrolled pilot study. Fertil Steril
2004;81:93-8.
Wong WY, Merkus HM, Thomas CM, et al. Effects of folic acid and zinc sulfate on
male factor subfertility: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Fertil Steril
2002;77:491-8.
close window
nfertility. Taking L-carnitine orally, in combination with acetyl-L-carnitine for 6 months
seems to increase sperm motility in men with infertility (12352). Some pregnancies
occured after taking these carnitines, but not enough to be statistically significant
(12352). Taking L-carnitine orally, in combination with acetyl-L-carnitine and
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, seems to increase sperm count and motility in men
with infertility caused by abacterial prostatovesiculoepididymitis; an inflammation of the
prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and epididymis. L-carnitine supplementation should
follow 2 months of treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (9791).
Vicari E, La Vignera S, Calogero AE. Antioxidant treatment with carnitines is effective
in infertile patients with prostatovesiculoepididymitis and elevated seminal leukocyte
concentrations after treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory compounds
Infertility. In one study, males with asthenospermia or oligoasthenospermia, receiving
oral vitamin E supplementation, achieved impregnation at a rate of 21% compared to
none for similar patients receiving placebo (4695). In another study, males enrolled in an
in vitro fertilization program who had previously had low fertilization rates were treated
with oral vitamin E for three months. Fertilization rates increased significantly from 19%
to 29% after one month of treatment (3583). In a crossover trial, males found to have
elevated reactive oxygen species in their semen, which might be associated with
infertility, were treated with oral vitamin E. After treatment, in vitro sperm binding to the
zona pellucida was significantly increased (4693). Interestingly, high-dose vitamin E in
combination with vitamin C does not seem to offer any benefit to sperm functionality
(4696). Vitamin E plus selenium seems to improve sperm functionality, but doesn't
improve fertilization rates (3585). Although vitamin E preparations used alone appear to
offer some benefit in men with asthenospermia or oxidative damage to sperm, combining
vitamin E with vitamin C or selenium does not appear to be beneficial. Studies did not
differentiate between different forms of vitamin E.
Sci Total Environ. 1998 Jun 18;214:165-74.
Related Articles, Links
Hong Kong male subfertility links to mercury in human hair and
fish.
Dickman MD, Leung CK, Leong MK.
Ecology and Biodiversity Department, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
dickman@hkusua.hku.hk
The focus of the present study was on the relationship between Hong Kong male
subfertility and fish consumption. Mercury concentrations found in the hair of 159
Hong Kong males aged 25-72 (mean age = 37 years) was positively correlated
with age and was significantly higher in Hong Kong subjects than in European
and Finnish subjects (1.2 and 2.1 ppm, respectively). Mercury in the hair of 117
subfertile Hong Kong males (4.5 ppm, P < 0.05) was significantly higher than
mercury levels found in hair collected from 42 fertile Hong Kong males (3.9
ppm). Subfertile males had approx. 40% more mercury in their hair than fertile
males of similar age. Although there were only 35 female subjects, they had
significantly lower levels of hair mercury than males in similar age groups.
Overall, males had mercury levels that were 60% higher than females. Hair
samples collected from 16 vegetarians living in Hong Kong (vegans that had
consumed no fish, shellfish or meat for at least the last 5 years) had very low
levels of mercury. Their mean hair mercury concentration was only 0.38 ppm
Fertil Steril. 2002 Dec;78(6):1187-94.
Related Articles, Links
Role of environmental estrogens in the deterioration of male factor
fertility.
Rozati R, Reddy PP, Reddanna P, Mujtaba R.
Assisted Conception Services Unit, Mahavir Hospital and Research Center,
Hyderabad, India. drrozati@rediffmail.com
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of the environmental estrogens polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) and phthalate esters (PEs) as potential environmental hazards in
the deterioration of semen parameters in infertile men without an obvious
etiology. DESIGN: Randomized controlled study. SETTING: Tertiary care
referral infertility clinic and academic research center. PATIENT(S): Twenty-one
infertile men with sperm counts <20 million/mL and/or rapid progressive motility
<25% and/or <30% normal forms without evidence of an obvious etiology and 32
control men with normal semen analyses and evidence of conception.Semen and
blood samples were obtained as part of the treatment protocol. MAIN
OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Evaluation of semen parameters such as ejaculate
volume, sperm count, motility, morphology, vitality, osmoregulatory capacity,
sperm chromatin stability, and sperm nuclear DNA integrity. RESULT(S): PCBs
were detected in the seminal plasma of infertile men but not in controls, and the
concentration of PEs was significantly higher in infertile men compared with
controls. Ejaculate volume, sperm count, progressive motility, normal
morphology, and fertilizing capacity were significantly lower in infertile men
compared with controls. The highest average PCB and PE concentrations were
found in urban fish eaters, followed by rural fish eaters, urban vegetarians, and
rural vegetarians. The total motile sperm counts in infertile men were inversely
proportional to their xenoestrogen concentrations and were significantly lower
than those in the respective controls. CONCLUSION(S): PCBs and PEs may be
instrumental in the deterioration of semen quality in infertile men without an
obvious etiology.