Fertility of male workers of the Italian mint

• Published in: Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) Vol. 14; no. 4; pp. 325 - 330
• Main Authors: Figà–Talamanca, Irene, Petrelli, Grazia, Tropeano, Raffaella, Papa, Giuseppe, Boccia, Giuseppe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.07.2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Air Pollutants, Occupational - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; Birth Rate; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Female; Fertility - drug effects; Humans; Infertility, Male - etiology; Italy; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Metallurgy; Metals; Metals - adverse effects; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases - etiology; Occupational exposures; Paternal Exposure - adverse effects; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Reproductive health; Solvents; Solvents - adverse effects; Subfertility; Time Factors; Toxicology; Italy; Reproductive health; Solvents; Occupational exposures; Male; Subfertility; Metals; Human; Reproduction diseases; Toxicity; Metallurgical industry; Foundry; Occupational exposure; Heavy metal; Money; Organic solvent; Fertility; Chromium; Nickel; Fumes; Occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0890-6238; 1873-1708
• DOI: 10.1016/S0890-6238(00)00083-6

Fertility among workers exposed to metal fumes and solvents in the Italian mint (stampers, founders, and other technical workers) was compared to the reproductive experience of the administrative staff. Data on the reproductive history and time to pregnancy were collected by interview. For workers with children, data on the time to pregnancy (TTP) for the first pregnancy was assessed in relation to occupational risk factors. The groups with the highest prevalence of pregnancy delay beyond 6 months were stampers (21%) and those exposed to solvents (21.5%). Logistic regression did not show a significant association of these job exposures with pregnancy delay, but the power of the study to show an important difference was low. The data are not inconsistent with the hypothesis that male exposure to solvents and metal fumes is associated with an increase in the TTP.