Association between pesticide exposure and infertility of couple in the Boucle du Mouhoun region: A case-control study

Abstract

IntroductionSeveral pesticides act as endocrine disrupting chemicals. Our objective was to study the relation between pesticide exposure and infertility in couples in the Boucle du Mouhoun region. Patients and methodsWe implemented a case-control study with recruitment of hospitals cases and a retrospective collection of data from the registers, supplemented by a face-to-face-administered questionnaire. The sample size was calculated at 35 cases 70 controls. The dependent variable was the infertility (primary or secondary). The main independent variable was the exposure (direct or indirect) to pesticides. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses with random effect were implemented and the statistical significance level was 5%. ResultsThe women controls had a better knowledge of pesticides (81.43% versus 45.71%) and were less exposed both directly (4.29%) versus 14.29%) and indirectly (34.29% versus 51.43%) Exposure to pesticides was noted in 48.57% of male cases against 62.86% of male controls. In the bivariate analysis, direct exposure to pesticides led to 3.72 (95%CI: 0,81-17,05) times more risk for infertility as compared to non-exposure. At the multivariate analysis, the adjusted odds ratio (ORA) of direct exposure versus non-exposure was 5 (95%CI: 0.87–28.92); and indirect exposure versus non-exposure had an ORA of 2.85 (95%CI: 1.01–8.04), ConclusionIn the Boucle du Mouhoun region, couples experiencing infertility knew less about pesticides and were more exposed to them than couples who had no childbearing difficulties. Pesticides were a risk factor for the couple's infertility both in direct and indirect exposure.