Air pollution harms male fertility while women face similar risk from noise, study finds

The researchers found that women’s fertility appeared not to be affected by fine particulate pollution. Photograph: Yuri Arcurs/Alamy

Air pollution is associated with a higher infertility risk in men, while noise pollution is associated with a higher risk of infertility in women, a study has found.

The study, which has been peer-reviewed and published in the BMJ, looked at whether long-term exposure to road traffic noise and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a particular form of air pollution, was associated with a higher risk of infertility in men and women.