Previous studies indicate pesticides may disrupt female reproductive hormone levels. However, the combined effects of multiclass pesticides on these hormones and whether different types exert distinct effects in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) remain unclear. Thus, we examined associations between combined multiclass pesticide exposure and reproductive hormone levels in ART women. The study included 462 women enrolled in the sub-cohort of the China National Birth Cohort between July 2017 and December 2018. Blood and urine samples were collected before ART treatment. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E 2 ), and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) were obtained from medical records. Urine was quantified for organophosphates (OPs), pyrethroids (PYRs), neonicotinoids (NEOs), and their metabolites. Using hierarchical bayesian kernel machine regression models we found combined exposure to multiclass pesticides was associated with increased FSH (−12.35%, 95% CI: −22.41%, −0.97% for 30th vs. 50th percentile) and decreased AMH (−15.74%, 95% CI: −28.83%, −0.25% for 75th vs. 50th percentile) levels. 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4F-3PBA, a PYR metabolite, condPIP = 0.79) and nitenpyram (NIT, a NEO metabolite, condPIP = 0.45) contributed most to elevated FSH and reduced AMH levels, respectively. Furthermore, OPs and PYRs were mainly associated with increased FSH, and NEOs with decreased AMH. Our study suggests that combined exposure to multiclass pesticides may adversely affect female reproductive function. • Evaluates combined effects of OPs, PYRs, and NEOs on female reproductive hormones. • Multiclass pesticides exposure may elevate FSH and reduce AMH levels among ART women. • PYR metabolite 4F-3PBA is the major contributor to increased FSH. • NEO metabolite NIT is the major contributor to decreased AMH. • Multiclass pesticides demonstrate adverse effects on ART female reproductive health.
Li et al. (Sun,) studied this question.