Supplemental Folate and the Relationship between Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Livebirth among Women Undergoing Assisted Reproduction

Audrey J. Gaskins, Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, Kelvin C. Fong, Yara Abu Awad, Qian Di, Jorge E. Chavarro, Jennifer B. Ford, Brent A. Coull, Joel Schwartz, Itai Kloog, Jill Attaman, Russ Hauser, Francine Laden

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Traffic-related air pollution has been linked to higher risks of infertility and miscarriage. We evaluated whether folate intake modified the relationship between air pollution and livebirth among women using assisted reproductive technology (ART). Our study included 304 women (513 cycles) presenting to a fertility center in Boston, Massachusetts (2005-2015). Diet and supplements were assessed by food frequency questionnaire. Spatiotemporal models estimated residence-based daily nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone, fine particulate, and black carbon concentrations in the 3 months before ART. We used generalized linear mixed models with interaction terms to evaluate whether the associations between air pollutants and livebirth were modified by folate intake, adjusting for age, body mass index, race, smoking, education, infertility diagnosis, and ART cycle year. Supplemental folate intake significantly modified the association of NO2 exposure and livebirth (P = 0.01). Among women with supplemental folate intakes of <800 μg/day, the odds of livebirth were 24% (95% confidence interval: 2, 42) lower for every 20-parts-per-billion increase in NO2 exposure. There was no association among women with intakes of ≥800 μg/day. There was no effect modification of folate on the associations between other air pollutants and livebirth. High supplemental folate intake might protect against the adverse reproductive consequences of traffic-related air pollution.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1595-1604
Number of pages10
JournalAmerican Journal of Epidemiology
Volume188
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Sep 2019

Keywords

  • air pollution
  • fecundity
  • fertility
  • folate
  • infertility
  • pregnancy loss
  • traffic

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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