Journal of Research in Environmental Health

Journal of Research in Environmental Health

Investigating the Role of Lifestyle in Exposure to Environmental Pollutants and the Occurrence of Idiopathic Infertility: A Case–Control Study

Document Type : Research article

Authors
Afsaneh Naghibi 1
Samar Mortazavi 2
Shamim Pilevari 3
1 Ph.D Student in Environmental Science and Engineering, Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural Resources, Malayer University,Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural Resources, Malayer University, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
10.22038/jreh.2026.96770.1758
Abstract
Background and Objective: The expansion of industries and technology has increased concerns about the rising exposure of human populations to environmental pollutants, particularly potentially toxic elements, thereby threatening human reproductive health. Since individuals’ lifestyles play an important role in the level of exposure of men and women to these toxins, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of lifestyle‑related exposure to environmental pollutants in the etiology of idiopathic infertility.

Materials and Methods: In this case–control study involving 63 participants, including patients with idiopathic infertility and healthy fertile individuals, lifestyle factors related to individuals’ exposure to toxins were assessed using a specialized questionnaire in four sections: demographic information, lifestyle habits, environmental exposure, and health history. The collected data were analyzed using the Chi‑square test to evaluate associations, and Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were used to examine relationships between lifestyle‑related pollutant exposures and idiopathic infertility outcomes. In addition, logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the independent effect of the studied variables on the likelihood of infertility, and odds ratios along with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated.

Results: The results indicated a significant role of living in urban areas, proximity of residence to pollution sources, and women’s occupation (P<0.05) in increasing exposure to pollutants and their effects on reproductive health. Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between the use of old and scratched cookware in food preparation (P<0.05) and iron‑deficiency anemia in both men and women (P<0.005) with idiopathic infertility.

Conclusion: The findings emphasize the necessity of increasing public awareness regarding lifestyle modification and developing preventive interventions aimed at reducing exposure to environmental pollutants and improving reproductive health.

Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords
Environmental Pollutants
Lifestyle
Idiopathic Infertility
Potentially Toxic Elements
Case-Control Study
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