Environment
Air Pollution
In the past decade, higher exposure to ambient air pollution has been linked to lower fertility rates worldwide, yet the specific pollutants, exposure windows, and biological mechanisms underlying these associations remain understudied. The key findings of my research in this area include:
Our newest project on this topic is studying patients undergoing vitrified donor oocyte IVF to evaluate how air pollution influences human reproduction. Given that anonymous oocyte donors and female recipient are unrelated and there is a long temporal gap between oocyte retrieval in the donor and embryo transfer in the recipient, we are uniquely able to investigate how air pollution exposures to the oocyte, sperm, and endometrium independently impact IVF outcomes.
Climate Change and Extreme Heat
Demographic studies suggest that hot weather causes a significant decline in birth rates 8–10 months later, yet the drivers of this association are unclear. Interestingly, the animal literature has long documented a link between maternal hyperthermia induced by high ambient temperatures and reduced fertility, largely mediated through effects on oocyte quality, yet there are few studies in humans. The key findings of my research in this area include:
To follow-up on these findings, we are now using data from over 2 million non-donor ART cycles initiated in the US from 1996 to 2016 to evaluate the associations between the intensity, duration, and timing of extreme heat events and ART outcomes. We are also expanding our analyses of extreme heat and birth defects to exclude other outcomes including gastroschisis and cleft lip/cleft palate.
Key Papers
LaPointe S, Lee JC, Nagy ZP, Shapiro DB, Chang HH, Wang Y, Russell AG, Hipp HS, Gaskins AJ. Air pollution exposure in vitrified oocyte donors and male recipient partners in relation to fertilization and embryo quality. Environ Int. 2024 Nov 13;193:109147. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109147. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39547088.
LaPointe S, Lee JC, Nagy ZP, Shapiro DB, Chang HH, Wang Y, Russell AG, Hipp HS, Gaskins AJ. Ambient traffic related air pollution in relation to ovarian reserve and oocyte quality in young, healthy oocyte donors. Environ Int. 2024 Jan; 183:108382. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108382. Epub 2023 Dec 12. PMID: 38103346; PMCID: PMC10871039.
Gaskins AJ, Hart JE, Chavarro JE, Missmer SA, Rich-Edwards JW, Laden F, Mahalingaiah S. Air pollution exposure and risk of spontaneous abortion in the Nurses’ Health Study II. Hum Reprod. 2019 Sep 29; 34(9): 1809-1817. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dez111. PMID: 31385588; PMCID: PMC6736292.
Gaskins AJ, Fong KC, Abu Awad Y, Di Q, Mínguez-Alarcón L, Chavarro JE, Ford JB, Coull BA, Schwartz J, Kloog I, Souter I, Hauser R, Laden F. Time-Varying Exposure to Air Pollution and Outcomes of in Vitro Fertilization among Couples from a Fertility Clinic. Environ Health Perspect. 2019 Jul; 127(7): 77002. doi: 10.1289/EHP4601. Epub 2019 Jul 3. PMID: 31268361; PMCID: PMC6792363.
Gaskins AJ, Rich-Edwards JW, Hauser R, Williams PL, Gillman MW, Ginsburg ES, Missmer SA, Chavarro JE. Maternal prepregnancy folate intake and risk of spontaneous abortion and stillbirth. Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Jul; 124(1): 23-31. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000000343. PMID: 24901281; PMCID: PMC4086728.
Gaskins AJ, Hart JE, Mínguez-Alarcón L, Chavarro JE, Laden F, Coull BA, Ford JB, Souter I, Hauser R. Residential proximity to major roadways and traffic in relation to outcomes of in vitro fertilization. Environ Int. 2018 Jun; 115: 239-246. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.03.029. Epub 2018 Mar 30. PMID: 29605676; PMCID: PMC5970056.