Merklinger-Gruchala, A., Jasienska, G., & Kapiszewska, M. (2017). Effect of Air Pollution on Menstrual Cycle Length-A Prognostic Factor of Women's Reproductive Health. International journal of environmental research and public health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14070816
Merklinger-Gruchala A, Jasienska G, Kapiszewska M. Effect of Air Pollution on Menstrual Cycle Length-A Prognostic Factor of Women's Reproductive Health. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2017. doi:10.3390/ijerph14070816
Merklinger-Gruchala, Anna, et al. "Effect of Air Pollution on Menstrual Cycle Length-A Prognostic Factor of Women's Reproductive Health." International journal of environmental research and public health, 2017.
Fossil fuel air pollution is linked to a shorter luteal phase
A cohort study of 133 women in Krakow, Poland, found that air pollution from fossil fuel combustion was linked to a shorter luteal phase, the second half of the cycle. Traffic-related pollution showed no link to the length of the cycle or its phases. Neither pollutant group was associated with overall cycle length or follicular phase length.
Key Findings
The study followed 133 women aged 24 to 35, one menstrual cycle each. Mean cycle length was 28.8 days and mean luteal phase length was 13.4 days.
In adjusted single-pollutant models, PM10 (b = −0.02; p = 0.03) and SO2 (b = −0.06; p = 0.02) were each associated with a shorter luteal phase.
The fossil fuel mixture of PM10 and SO2 was associated with a luteal phase shorter by 0.32 days per standard deviation (b = −0.32; 95% CI −0.60 to −0.04; p = 0.02).
Neither mixture was associated with overall cycle length or follicular phase length. CO and NOx, alone or together as traffic emission, showed no association with cycle or phase length.
Interpretation
The study is an observational cohort that measured one cycle per woman. Exposure came from city monitoring stations averaged across Krakow. The analysis adjusted for age, age at first period, alcohol, caffeine, smoking and usual cycle length. Participants were healthy women aged 24 to 35 with regular cycles who used no hormonal medication. The authors call a reduction of 0.3 days weak and advise caution. They describe luteal phase shortening as a possible sign of luteal phase deficiency.
RRM Context
The authors call cycle and phase length easy-to-measure signs of reproductive health. RRM shares that view. Each phase reflects hormone function and gives clinicians something concrete to check. The paper links a measurable environmental exposure to a shorter luteal phase.
Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.
Abstract
Air pollution can influence women's reproductive health, specifically menstrual cycle characteristics, oocyte quality, and risk of miscarriage. The aim of the study was to assess whether air pollution can affect the length of the overall menstrual cycle and the length of its phases (follicular and luteal). Municipal ecological monitoring data was used to assess the air pollution exposure during the monitored menstrual cycle of each of 133 woman of reproductive age. Principal component analyses were used to group pollutants (PM10, SO₂, CO, and NOx) to represent a source-related mixture. PM10 and SO₂ assessed separately negatively affected the length of the luteal phase after standardization (b = -0.02; p = 0.03; b = -0.06; p = 0.02, respectively). Representing a fossil fuel combustion emission, they were also associated with luteal phase shortening (b = -0.32; p = 0.02). These pollutants did not affect the follicular phase length and overall cycle length, neither in single- nor in multi-pollutant models. CO and NOx assessed either separately or together as a traffic emission were not associated with overall cycle length or the length of cycle phases. Luteal phase shortening, a possible manifestation of luteal phase deficiency, can result from fossil fuel combustion. This suggests that air pollution may contribute to fertility problems in women.
