Another Problem Associated With Air Pollution

Air pollution, especially that generated by road traffic, has been linked to many human ailments and even death. A recent study demonstrates it is also a factor in unexplained human infertility (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/17/air-pollution-significantly-raises-risk-of-infertility-study-finds). Eighteen thousand couples, who were trying for a baby, were studied in China. Those couples, living in locations with a moderately high level of particulates, had a 20% greater risk of infertility (higher levels might well produce more powerful effects). This striking finding, can be linked to other work showing that air pollution-linked increases in inflammation damage both egg and sperm production. Dirty air also increases the incidence of premature birth and results in lower birth weights of babies. These appear to be good, collective reasons for doing something about the air pollution, especially in our cities.