6 out of 10 women living near roads with heavy traffic are at risk of infertility. Women living in areas with high traffic-related air pollution enter menopause early and are three times more likely to experience reproductive problems. Inhaled toxic air disrupts the main hormones that regulate the number of eggs in the ovaries.
“Gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (from cars) have the worst effect.''
First study Italy' from... Researchers tested the AMH (anti-müllerian hormone) levels in the blood of 1,318 women.
AMH is secreted from cells in the ovaries and is used in in vitro fertilization clinics to determine women's chances of pregnancy. Its level decreases with increasing age and smoking.
A low amount of AMH indicates poor ovarian reserve.
AIR POLLUTION AGES THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
On the roadside where traffic is very heavy Approximately 6 out of 10 living women were at risk for infertility because they had low AMH. In women living in less polluted areas, this rate was less than 4 in 10.
Normally, AMH levels decrease after the age of 25, but in the study, the low AMH value in those exposed to polluted air decreased regardless of age. Scientists have stated that air pollution accelerates the aging of the reproductive organs.
In a study conducted at the University of Edinburgh's Faculty of Medicine, it was observed that the reproductive time was shortened in women exposed to high amounts of pollution. It has been determined that women living in polluted areas are three times more likely to have severely reduced reserves.
A 20 percent increase in the likelihood of having an abnormal baby was found in women who were exposed to pollution before pregnancy.
Anomalies such as cleft lip and palate are more common in babies of women who lived 5 km or closer to highly polluted areas before getting pregnant than in the general population.
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