Frontiers in reproductive health最新文献

{"title":"An engagement framework for the authentic co-design of a consent and healthy relationships intervention with upper-secondary students.","authors":"Ashleigh M Pantaleo, Peta L Dzidic, Elizabeth Newnham, HuiJun Chih, Robert Wells, Brad Olson, Sarah Langley, Adrian Schonfeld, Jacqueline Hendriks","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1420895","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/frph.2024.1420895","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The objective of this demand driven research is to co-design an intervention for upper-secondary students that addresses issues of consent and healthy relationships. In this paper, we (university researchers, student co-researchers, school staff), present the engagement framework that has been critical to the project's development and planned implementation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An iterative co-design approach grounded in a participatory research approach is currently being adopted. Student co-researchers from three independent secondary schools on Whadjuk Nyungar Country in Boorloo/Perth, Western Australia, have been engaged as co-researchers in the design of the intervention. Supplementary quantitative and qualitative data from students enrolled at each school site is also being collated to further inform the intervention design. Student co-researchers will provide insights on the overarching design of the intervention including: the scope of key concepts they want to learn, interpretation of supplementary data, and the development of contextually relevant educative content.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Retrospective and prospective components of the engagement framework are described and supported with applied examples where applicable. Preliminary results demonstrate the imperative of adopting iterative co-design, and the efficacy of our authentic engagement framework. A draft intervention has been formalized and will soon undergo piloting. The co-design process has already resulted in an intervention that differs from the initial program first conceptualized by university researchers.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Imperative to our engagement framework is centering students as experts of their lived experience. It is anticipated that this engagement framework will provide insights around the feasibility, value, and necessity for authentic engagement of upper-secondary school students in the design of their consent and healthy relationship education.</p>","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1420895"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11427430/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142333803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"State of the maternal healthcare continuum in Guinea, awaiting the next Demographic and Health Survey: the case of the five communes of Conakry in 2022.","authors":"Niouma Nestor Leno, Daniel William Athanase Leno, Abdoulaye Sow, Gaston Kambadouno, Alioune Camara, Serge Mayaka, Alexandre Delamou","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1324011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/frph.2024.1324011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The continuum of maternal health care ensures consistency in the delivery of care from pregnancy to the postnatal period. It recommends a minimum of 4 antenatal visits, skilled birth attendance, and 42 days of postnatal care. This approach helps reduce maternal deaths. The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of women who had completed the different stages of the continuum of maternal health care (four antenatal visits, given birth under the care of qualified personnel, and received postnatal care within 42 days of delivery).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a cross-sectional analytical study conducted in the five communes of Conakry, using a two-stage cluster sampling for data collection. Results were described using medians and percentages. The proportions of women in the continuum of care, and at the different stages of this continuum, have been weighted. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with non-completion of the different stages of the maternal health care continuum among the women included in this study.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found that 26.9% of women had completed all stages of the maternal health care continuum, while 73.1% had not. While 56.7% received four antenatal visits, only 29.5% delivered under the care of a qualified healthcare professional. Key factors associated with discontinuity were not attending school (AOR 1.825: 1.594-2.089), unemployment (AOR 4.588: 3.983-5.285), having two or more living children (AOR 1.890: 1.016-1.296), and not receiving a free Long-Lasting Insecticidal Net at the first Antenatal Care.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Maternal care discontinuity is a major issue in Guinea. The country's Health Development Plan had set an expected level for maternal care which has not been met as of 2022. The completeness of care is influenced by various factors, including individual socio-demographic characteristics and factors related to the organization, availability, and quality of health services. To reduce maternal and child mortality rates, it is essential to improve interpersonal communication during antenatal care, ensure the availability of quality health services, and conduct a national study on maternal health service quality and maternal satisfaction. This will help establish a proper continuum of care for mothers and children.</p>","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1324011"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11429276/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142333855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrocardiographic abnormalities and associated factors among HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy.","authors":"Zewudu Befkadu, Mohammed Ibrahim, Amanuel Tadelle, Elsah Tegene","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1387464","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/frph.2024.1387464","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Individuals living with HIV are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. This heightened vulnerability is influenced by various factors, including the direct impact of HIV infection, the side effects of HIV medications, and a higher presence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Detecting and managing cardiovascular diseases early in HIV-infected individuals is crucial for their overall health and well-being. Electrocardiography, a simple and non-invasive test, can provide valuable information in this regard. However, there is currently no published data on the prevalence of electrocardiographic abnormalities and the associated factors among HIV-infected adults in Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of ECG abnormalities and associated factors among HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>A hospital-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at Mettu Karl Specialized Hospital (MKSH), southwest Ethiopia, among 96 HIV-infected patients and 96 HIV-negative control groups. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select HIV-infected respondents, and HIV-negative respondents were purposively recruited from caregivers. A face-to-face interview with a semi-structured and pretested questionnaire was conducted to collect the socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics of the study participants. Electrocardiography was done for all study participants using a 12-lead electrocardiograph, interpreted by a cardiologist, and classified according to the Minnesota Code classification system. The data were entered into Epi-Data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Finally, descriptive statistics, chi-square, independent <i>t</i>-test, bivariable, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done at a 5% significance level.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study found that 49% of HIV-infected and 19.8% of HIV-negative participants had at least one ECG abnormality. The proportion of coded ST-segment abnormalities, T-wave abnormalities, longer QT interval, and sinus tachycardia was significantly higher in HIV-infected respondents than in HIV-negatives. Being a smoker [AOR = 3.7, 95%CI: 1.03-13.6], being on Protease inhibitors [AOR = 3.6, 95%CI: 1.02-13.1] and having CD4 less than 350 cells/mm³ [AOR = 3.2, 95%CI: 1.22-8.49] were significantly associated with ECG abnormalities among HIV-infected respondents.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Compared to HIV-negative participants, HIV-infected patients had a significantly higher prevalence of ECG abnormalities. Screening for ECG abnormalities is needed for the early detection of cardiac abnormalities and the reduction of future complications.</p>","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1387464"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11420139/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142333804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pregnancy and associated factors among teenage females in Hula District, Sidama region, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study.","authors":"Mekdes Amenu, Dansamo Tediso, Tihun Feleke, Selam Fantahun, Endrias Markos Woldesemayat","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1367436","DOIUrl":"10.3389/frph.2024.1367436","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Teenage pregnancy causes serious health, social, and economic consequences, with 95% occurring in developing countries. A significant number of girls start childbearing at an early age in Ethiopia, which contributes to high infant and maternal morbidity and mortality. However, the information on teenage pregnancy and related variables is limited in the study area.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and its associated factors among teenage females in the Hula District, Sidama, Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A community-based cross-sectional study was employed among 518 teenagers, randomly selected between 15 February and 15 March 2023. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to assess the relationship under study.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Living in rural areas compared to urban [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.90; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30-11.3], lack of awareness about family planning methods (AOR = 5.90; 95% CI: 1.60-22.24), unfamiliarity with the availability of family planning services (AOR = 3.20; 95% CI: 1.08-9.24), and inadequate communication about sexual issues with parents (AOR = 3.61; 95% CI: 1.14-11.56) were independently associated with teenage pregnancy.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The prevalence of teenage pregnancies in the Hula District was high. Factors such as residing in rural areas, limited access to information on family planning methods and services, as well as a lack of open discussions about sexual health were associated with teenage pregnancy.</p>","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1367436"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11412938/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142302544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Person-centered abortion care in public health facilities across four regions of Ethiopia: a cross-sectional quantitative study of client experiences.","authors":"Bekalu Mossie Chekol, Sarah McCaffrey, Sally Dijkerman, Valerie Acre, Demeke Desta Biru, Abiyot Belai Mehary, Samuel Muluye","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1331682","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/frph.2024.1331682","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introduction: &lt;/strong&gt;Ethiopia has made remarkable progress in expanding access to and provision of comprehensive abortion care. However, complications due to unsafe abortion persist. As efforts to increase quality of comprehensive abortion care continue, evaluating service quality is critical. Although \"women-centered\" abortion care is a central component of Ethiopia's technical guidelines for safe abortion, research has mostly focused on access to care, availability of services, and meeting clinical criteria, rather than examining service quality from abortion clients' perspectives. This study assesses the quality of comprehensive abortion care (CAC) in public health facilities, from clients' perspectives, in four regions of Ethiopia to examine how person-centered care differs based on facility and service characteristics.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;We conducted 1,870 client exit surveys in 2018 using structured questionnaires with women who received induced abortion or postabortion care services from 76 public health facilities across four regions: Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's. We operationalized person-centered care by mapping 30 indicators of quality to five of the six domains in the Person-Centered Care Framework for Reproductive Health Equity developed by Sudhinaraset and colleagues (2017): dignity & respect; autonomy; communication & supportive care; trust, privacy, and confidentiality; and health facility environment. We calculated descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable statistics to examine associations between service characteristics and person-centered care.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;CAC clients reported high levels of person-centered care, with exceptionally positive experiences for outcomes in the dignity and respect and trust, privacy, and confidentiality domains. However, there was notable room for improving client experiences across three domains: autonomy, communication and supportive care, and health facility environment. Client-reported quality outcomes differed significantly by diagnosis (induced or postabortion care), region, health facility type, and procedure type. Clients in Amhara, clients at tertiary and primary hospitals, and clients who received postabortion care reported lower levels of person-centered care.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Discussion: &lt;/strong&gt;The positive experiences reported by comprehensive abortion care clients bolster evidence of the impact of the Ethiopian government's strategy to increase abortion access in the public health sector. However, notable disparities exist for key subgroups, particularly those seeking postabortion care and people visiting tertiary and primary hospitals. Quality improvement efforts should concentrate on improving abortion clients' autonomy, communication and supportive care, and the health facility environment. The Ethiopian Ministry of Health and its partners must dedicate resources to improve postabortion care qu","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1331682"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11408316/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142302543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adolescent dysmenorrhoea in general practice: tensions and uncertainties.","authors":"Sharon Dixon, Neda Taghinejadi, Claire Duddy, Flora Holloway, Katy Vincent, Sue Ziebland","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1418269","DOIUrl":"10.3389/frph.2024.1418269","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This Perspectives article reflects on findings from our systematic review about adolescent dysmenorrhoea Q, drawing on sociology of diagnosis theory. We consider tensions and uncertainties between presentation with symptoms of dysmenorrhoea and processes of symptom categorisation and diagnosis in adolescents, tracing these through research and clinical guidance, considering possible implications for clinical practice. We argue that challenges in distinguishing between primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea in research translate into challenges in differentiation in clinical practice. We argue that framing this distinction as clear cut and straightforward belies the well-documented challenges in diagnosis of endometriosis, and that not recognising uncertainty and complexity inherent in this task may benefit neither clinicians nor patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1418269"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11377416/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142156846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Longitudinal trends and correlation between autism spectrum disorder prevalence and sperm quality parameters (2000-2024): a comprehensive statistical analysis.","authors":"Adil Abdul-Rehman Siddiq Al-Salihy","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1438049","DOIUrl":"10.3389/frph.2024.1438049","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Over the past few decades, there has been growing concern about the concurrent trends of increasing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prevalence and declining sperm quality. These trends represent significant public health challenges that warrant thorough investigation of their underlying causes and implications.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The primary objectives of this study are to analyze trends in ASD prevalence and sperm quality parameters from 2000 to 2024, assess the statistical significance and effect size of these trends, explore potential correlations between ASD prevalence and sperm quality parameters, and identify significant predictors among sperm quality parameters that influence ASD prevalence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study employed a longitudinal approach using multiple regression, time series analysis, ANOVA, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), hierarchical clustering, logistic regression, and cross-correlation analysis. Data on ASD prevalence were sourced from the CDC Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, while sperm quality data were collected from various published studies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings reveal significant negative associations between ASD prevalence and sperm quality parameters such as sperm concentration and motility, suggesting that better sperm quality is linked to lower ASD rates. Conversely, parameters like sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF), volume of ejaculate, pH level, and semen viscosity show positive associations with ASD prevalence, indicating higher values in these parameters correlate with higher ASD rates.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study highlights the importance of maintaining reproductive health to potentially mitigate ASD risk and calls for further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving these trends. These findings support the hypothesis that reproductive health factors play a crucial role in ASD etiology and suggest potential biological markers for assessing ASD risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1438049"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11374721/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142141918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial: Sexual and reproductive health among transgender and non-binary adolescents and young adults.","authors":"Nadia Dowshen, Diane Chen","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1437349","DOIUrl":"10.3389/frph.2024.1437349","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1437349"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11345259/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142074674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Individual and relational dynamics perceived to influence the sexual behaviour of adolescents in Ethiopia: a qualitative study.","authors":"Semere Gebremariam Baraki, Gloria Thupayagale-Tshweneagae","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1348953","DOIUrl":"10.3389/frph.2024.1348953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There are 1.2 billion adolescents in the world today, more than ever before, making up 16% of the world's population and nearly one-fourth of the total population in Sub-Saharan Africa. Adolescents are facing life-threatening health challenges attributed to sexual and reproductive health issues such as unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually transmitted infections, including the human immunodeficiency virus, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The aim of this research is to explore the individual and relational levels of factors that drive adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative phenomenological study design was used from February to June 2020. Adolescents and health professionals were selected purposefully. A total of 12 individual in-depth interviews, five focus group discussions with adolescents, and eight key informant interviews with health professionals were conducted using a semi-structured guide. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis with ATLAS Ti version 7 software. Credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability were used to ensure the trustworthiness of the data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, two themes were identified; individual level factors such as sexual desire and emotion driven sex, limited knowledge of sexual and reproductive health, and a permissive attitude towards sexual activities drive adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour; and relational level factors such as, limited family support and involvement, negative peer pressure and influence, male partner dominance during the partnership, and pressuring females to engage in sexual intercourse were perceived factors influencing adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Various individual-level and relational-level factors are influencing adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour. Socially and culturally acceptable, comprehensive sexual education should be provided for in-school and out-school adolescents to enhance their knowledge, attitude, and skill about sexual and reproductive health. Interventions at the peer and partner level should be considered to enhance the life skills that enable them to resist pressure from peers and their partners. Child-parent communication on sexual and reproductive health matters should be promoted.</p>","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1348953"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11333451/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142010032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drinking water quality impacts oocyte viability and embryo development.","authors":"Yasmyn E Winstanley, Macarena B Gonzalez, Eryk Andreas, Haley Connaughton, Jean Bergen, Miranda Ween, Darryl L Russell, Cameron J Shearer, Sarah A Robertson, Rebecca L Robker","doi":"10.3389/frph.2024.1394099","DOIUrl":"10.3389/frph.2024.1394099","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Normal reproductive function and fertility is considered a \"sixth vital sign\" because disruptions to this sensitive physiological system can forewarn other health issues, including exposure to environmental toxicants. We found that female mice exhibited profound loss of embryos during pre-implantation and fetal development coincident with a change to the source of their drinking water. When female mice were provided with tap water from the building in which they were housed (Water 2), instead of tap water from a neighboring building which was their previous supply (Water 1), ovulated oocytes were degenerated or had impaired meiotic maturation, and failed to form embryos. The harmful effects of Water 2 exposure were not reversible even following a recovery period; however, carbon-filtration of Water 2 removed the toxic contaminant. Water composition analysis to identify the responsible toxicant(s) found that trace elements were present at expected levels and phthalates were undetectable. Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a family of persistent organic pollutants were detected at ∼4 ng/L. To investigate further, female mice were given drinking water categorized by level of PFAS contamination (0.6 ng/L, 2.8 ng/L, or 4.4 ng/L) for 9 weeks. Compared to mice consuming purified MilliQ water, mice consuming PFAS-contaminated water had decreased oocyte quality, impaired embryogenesis and reduced cell numbers in blastocysts. PFAS concentration in the drinking water was negatively correlated with oocyte viability. Importantly, the levels of PFAS detected in the tap water are within current \"safe level\" guidelines, and further research is needed to determine whether PFAS are responsible for the observed reproductive toxicity. However, this research demonstrating that water deemed suitable for human consumption has detrimental effects on mammalian embryo development has important implications for public health and water quality policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":73103,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in reproductive health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1394099"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11333305/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142010031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}