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NEW DATA SUGGEST THAT SOME INCREASED INFERTILITY ATTRIBUTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS, RESOLVE CALLS FOR MORE RESEARCH, TESTING

More women under the age of 25 experiencing infertility.

Exposure to environmental toxins, including cigarette smoke, alcohol and lead or mercury can be direct threat to reproductive health and pregnancy.

BETHESDA, MD, FEBRUARY 16, 2006 RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association calls for more research, better testing and greater awareness of the impact of environmental toxins, including exposure to cigarette smoke, alcohol, heavy metals, plastics, mercury, lead and agricultural pesticides, on reproductive health, fertility and healthy pregnancy.  RESOLVE, the leading patient organization representing the infertility community, joined with the Reproductive Health Technologies Project to co-host a briefing in Washington, DC, today to call attention to increasing evidence that environmental contaminants are causing increasing numbers of women and men to experience the disease of infertility.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of couples who report difficulty becoming pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term has grown from 6.1 million in 1995, to 7.3 million in 2002.  Recent data suggest that the fastest growing segment of the infertile community is women under the age of 25.  It is known that exposure to environmental toxins are a direct threat to a healthy pregnancy and that in 10% of infertility cases the causes cannot be explained on a clinical basis.

“There are many medical reasons why men and women have trouble conceiving, as well as the decision to start family building later in life.  Yet, for many, the cause of infertility remains ‘unexplained,’” said Joseph C. Isaacs, CAE, President and Chief Executive Officer, RESOLVE.  “With the numbers of infertile growing, and particularly more women in their prime childbearing years experiencing infertility problems, many believe environmental contaminants are contributing to this alarming trend.”

After more than five years of infertility treatment, including in vitro fertilization, and three miscarriages, Angela and Jeff Virostko learned that contaminated well water on their farm in Indiana containing high levels of mercury and manganese may be the cause of their infertility.

“After countless testing and ruling out genetic problems, our doctors remain concerned that Mercury in the well water may be the cause of our poor egg and sperm quality, resulting in our infertility,” said Jeff Virostko, 32, a vice president at a school equipment company.  “Even though our own efforts to have a baby have not yet succeeded and we are still left with many unanswered questions, it is our hope that, with heightened Federal funding for research into the impact of environmental factors on fertility, more and more people like ourselves can be helped and avoid exposure to these environmental risks.”

“While we recognize that most cases of infertility cannot be prevented, we believe that, through more research, better testing and increased awareness of knowledge about environmental contaminants and their impact on reproductive health, we can take action to prevent some cases of infertility and improve pregnancy outcomes,” added Isaacs.

RESOLVE has published a series of fact sheets and other materials to help educate patients on the impact of environmental contaminants on reproductive health and fertility, through an unrestricted grant from the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE).  To access a copy of these materials, visit http://www.resolve.org/site/DocServer/EnvironmentalFactors.pdf?docID=261 or call the RESOLVE HelpLine toll free at 888-623-0744.

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, headquartered in Bethesda, MD, is a consumer-based, nonprofit group that, since 1974, has provided education, advocacy and support to those struggling with infertility.  Each year, National RESOLVE and its network of more than 40 chapters across the U.S. handle over 1.5 million contacts from people seeking information about infertility.  For more information, visit the RESOLVE website at www.resolve.org.

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