Nitrate in Maternal Drinking Water during Pregnancy and Measures of Male Fecundity in Adult Sons

Bibliographic Data

ID15458767
AuthorsPernille Jul Clemmensen (0000-0002-1966-5518, Aarhus University, corresponding author), Nis Brix (0000-0002-1499-8401, Aarhus University), Jörg Schullehner (0000-0002-1153-6885, Aarhus University), Anne Gaml‐Sørensen (0000-0002-5242-939X, Aarhus University), Gunnar Toft (0000-0002-7542-6853, Steno Diabetes Centers), Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg (0000-0001-7742-4360, University of Copenhagen), Ninna Hinchely Ebdrup (0000-0002-3330-2203, Regional Hospital Horsens), Karin Sørig ­Hougaard (0000-0002-3386-0512, University of Copenhagen), Birgitte Hansen (0000-0003-2318-145X, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland), Torben Sigsgaard (0000-0002-2043-7571, Aarhus University), Henrik Albert Kolstad (0000-0002-6535-4323, Aarhus University), Jens Peter Bonde (0000-0002-8181-3673, University of Copenhagen), Jens Peter Ellekilde Bonde (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital—Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, 2400 Copenhagen, Denmark), Cecilia Høst Ramlau‐Hansen (0000-0003-3296-0121, Aarhus University)
Year2022
Volume19
Issue21
Pages14428-14428
Publication date2022-11-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph192114428
PMID36361307
OpenAlexW4308352066
LanguageEN
References cited45

Animal studies indicate deleterious effects of nitrate exposure on fecundity, but effects in humans are unknown, both for the prenatal and postnatal periods. We aimed to investigate if exposure to nitrate in maternal drinking water during the sensitive period of fetal life is associated with measures of fecundity in the adult sons. In a sub-analysis, the potential effects of nitrate exposure in adulthood were investigated. This cohort included 985 young adult men enrolled in The Fetal Programming of Semen Quality Cohort (FEPOS). Semen characteristics, testes volume and reproductive hormones were analyzed in relation to nitrate concentration in maternal drinking water, using a negative binomial regression model. The nitrate concentration in drinking water was obtained from monitoring data from Danish waterworks that were linked with the mothers' residential address during pregnancy. The median nitrate concentration in maternal drinking water was 2 mg/L. At these low exposure levels, which are far below the World Health Organization's (WHO) guideline value of 50 mg/L, we did not find indications of harmful effects of nitrate on the investigated measures of male fecundity

Andrology · Biology · Cohort · Cohort study · Environmental health · Fecundity · Fertility · Nitrate · Population · Pregnancy · Semen · Semen quality · Assisted Reproductive Technology and Twin Pregnancy · Birth, Development, and Health · Medicine · Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies · Ecology · Internal Medicine · Physiology · Toxicology

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