European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. (2019, June 25). Air pollution found to affect marker of female fertility in real-life study: Decline in ovarian reserve related to particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide in atmosphere. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 25, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190625181939.htm

 

A study by the European Society of Human Reproduction has concluded that air pollution is linked to decreased fertility in females. More specifically, ovarian reserves, a marker for female fertility, “have found to be adversely affected by high levels of air pollution”. The study focused on the effect of environmental chemicals on the function of hormones in females, ultimately claiming that the pollution interferes with the female’s “hormones, signaling and metabolism” in regard to reproductive health. Notably, air pollution affects the anti- Mullerian hormone, or AMH, a hormone “widely recognized as a reliable marker of ovarian reserve”, decreasing its expression in females who have been exposed to high levels of air pollution. The study also notes that age is a factor in determining fertility, but their research shows that air pollution is a concrete cause for “increased risk of severely reduced ovarian reserve”. 

 

This article relates to environmental science, as it focuses on the correlation between environmental factors and humans who live in said environment. This article was disappointing but not surprising, because I was aware that pollution causes and influences many diseases, but I had not thought about the reproductive repercussions of air pollution. It is incredibly worrying that air pollution is decreasing fertility in females because without fertility the human race will not survive, and with the current rate of pollution and disregard for our environment, it is not unrealistic to value fertility more than we have in the past. What surprises me is that despite this article and many others showing obvious correlation between pollution and health issues, there has seemingly been no movement to tighten regulations regarding pollution. I am baffled by the selfish nature of money hungry people and politicians who are increasingly harmful to our civilization and environment without hesitation.