Common Chemicals Affecting Your FertilityMany couples try month after month to become pregnant, and new research suggests that for some, the delay may be related to their exposure to chemicals found in the soil, water, and food supply.
These chemicals, called persistent organochlorine pollutants, may persist in the environment for decades. Some, such as persistent lipophilic organochlorine pollutants, accumulate in fatty tissues in animals, while perfluorochemicals or PFCs are used in clothing, furniture, adhesives, food packaging, nonstick cooking surfaces, and electrical wire insulation.
The new study shows that men and women with high levels of these chemicals in their blood took longer to conceive than couples with lower levels. The effects seem to be more pronounced in men.
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http://www.emedicinehealth.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=165096Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD on Nov. 14, 2012)