CLIMATE CHANGE, ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS, AND FEMALE FERTILITY: A GLOBAL HEALTH PRIORITY
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Abstract
Climate change and environmental pollution are increasingly recognised as major contributors to reproductive health challenges, with a growing body of evidence linking them to adverse fertility outcomes in women. Rising global temperatures, altered seasonal patterns, and increased exposure to pollutants create a web of stressors that can disrupt hormonal regulation, impair ovulatory function, and contribute to reproductive disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and recurrent pregnancy loss.
This study is based on an analysis of 86 women evaluated at Nodirabegim Private Clinic between January 2020 and December 2024. Each participant underwent a comprehensive fertility assessment, including reproductive history, hormonal testing, ovarian reserve markers, and screening for potential environmental exposures. The local findings were analysed alongside international evidence from 2020-2025, incorporating epidemiological studies, experimental research, and public health reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The clinic’s data revealed that women living in areas with moderate-to-high PM2.5 air pollution levels, sustained increases in average annual temperatures, and detectable exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A and phthalates showed lower anti-Müllerian hormone levels, reduced antral follicle counts, and a higher prevalence of early pregnancy loss. These trends mirrored patterns reported in international studies from regions with similar environmental risk profiles.
The synthesis of local and global data underscores the urgent need for policy measures that integrate environmental protection with reproductive health services. Such measures should include stricter regulation of industrial and household pollutants, investment in climate-resilient healthcare infrastructure, and public education campaigns on the impact of environmental factors on fertility.
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References
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