Increased levels of air pollution and a decrease in the human and mouse male-to-female ratio in São Paulo, Brazil

Fertil Steril. 2007 Jan;87(1):230-2. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2006.06.023. Epub 2006 Nov 2.

Abstract

A significant negative association (R(2) = 0.7642; P=.013) between particulate matter and secondary sex ratio was found when evaluating people in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. An animal model with male mice raised in nonfiltered open-top chambers showed a significant reduction in the secondary sex ratio (P=.041), suggesting that ambient air pollution may interfere with sex distribution by altering the X:Y sperm proportion in pollution-exposed males.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollution / analysis*
  • Air Pollution / statistics & numerical data*
  • Animals
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Cities / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Models, Animal
  • Sex Ratio*
  • Statistics as Topic