Key Points
Findings In a cohort of 325 women undergoing infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technology, intake of high–pesticide residue fruits and vegetables was associated with a lower probability of live birth, while low–pesticide residue fruit and vegetable intake was not associated with this outcome.
Meaning Dietary pesticide exposure within the range of typical human exposure may be associated with adverse reproductive consequences.
Abstract
Objective To examine the association of preconception intake of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables (FVs) with outcomes of infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technologies (ART).
Design, Setting, and Participants This analysis included 325 women who completed a diet assessment and subsequently underwent 541 ART cycles in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) prospective cohort study (2007-2016) at a fertility center at a teaching hospital. We categorized FVs as having high or low pesticide residues using a validated method based on surveillance data from the US Department of Agriculture. Cluster-weighted generalized estimating equations were used to analyze associations of high– and low–pesticide residue FV intake with ART outcomes.
Main Outcomes and Measures Adjusted probabilities of clinical pregnancy and live birth per treatment cycle.
Results In the 325 participants (mean [SD] age, 35.1 [4.0] y; body mass index, 24.1 [4.3]), mean (SD) intakes of high– and low–pesticide residue FVs were 1.7 (1.0) and 2.8 (1.6) servings/d, respectively. Greater intake of high–pesticide residue FVs was associated with a lower probability of clinical pregnancy and live birth. Compared with women in the lowest quartile of high-pesticide FV intake (<1 .0="" 13="" 18="" 26="" 5="" and="" art="" birth.="" ci="" clinical="" d="" fvs="" had="" highest="" in="" intake="" live="" low="" lower="" not="" of="" outcomes.="" pesticide="" pregnancy="" probability="" quartile="" related="" residue="" servings="" significantly="" span="" the="" to="" was="" women="">1>
Conclusions and Relevance Higher consumption of high–pesticide residue FVs was associated with lower probabilities of pregnancy and live birth following infertility treatment with ART. These data suggest that dietary pesticide exposure within the range of typical human exposure may be associated with adverse reproductive consequences.