Abstract
With increased population and urban development, there are growing concerns regarding health impacts of environmental noise. We assessed the relationship between nighttime environmental noise and semen quality of men who visited for fertility evaluation. This is a retrospective cohort study of 1,972 male patient who had undertaken semen analysis between 2016–2018 at a single fertility center of Seoul, South Korea. We used environmental noise data of National Noise Information System (NNIS), Korea. Using semiannual nighttime noise measurement closest to the time of semen sampling, individual noise exposures at each patient’s geocoded address were estimated with empirical Bayesian kriging method. We explored the association between environmental noise and semen quality indicators (volume, concentration, % of progressive motility, vitality, normal morphology, total motile sperm count, oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, and severe teratozoospermia) using multivariable regression and generalized additive models. Estimated exposure to nighttime environmental noise level in the study population was 58.3±2.2 Leq. Prevalence of oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, and severe teratozoospermia were 3.3%, 14.0%, and 10.1%. Highest quartile nighttime noise was associated with 3.5 times higher odds of oligozoospermia (95% CI: 1.18, 10.17) compared to lowest quartile. In men whose noise exposure is in 3rd quartile, odds ratio (OR) of severe teratozoospermia was 0.57 (95% CI: 0.33, 0.98). The OR for 4th quartile noise were toward null. In generalized additive model, the risk of oligozoospermia increases when the nighttime noise is 55 Leq dB or higher. Our study adds an evidence of potential impact of environmental noise on semen quality in men living in Seoul. Additional studies with more refined noise measurement will confirm the finding.
Highlights
Environmental noise is defined as noise emitted from sources including road, rail and air traffic, industries, construction, and the neighborhood [1]
This study is a retrospective cohort study conducted among men who undertook semen tests between 2016–2018 at the CHA Fertility Center Seoul Station which is the largest single fertility center of the country located in Seoul, South Korea
In the multivariable models for three semen abnormalities, highest quartile nighttime noise was associated with 3.5 times odds of oligozoospermia compared to lowest quartile (Table 3)
Summary
Environmental noise is defined as noise emitted from sources including road, rail and air traffic, industries, construction, and the neighborhood [1]. Exposure to environmental noise is so widespread that 30% of people are annoyed during the daytime and 20% complain disturbed. Kr) which is funded by Korean Government. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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