Chronic exposure to fine particulate matter emitted by traffic affects reproductive and fetal outcomes in mice

Air pollution is an important environmental health risk factor that can result in many different gestational and reproductive negative outcomes. In this study, we have investigated the effects of two different times of exposure (before conception and during pregnancy) to urban ambient particulate matter on reproductive and pregnancy outcomes in mice. Using exposure chambers receiving filtered (F) and non-filtered (NF) air, we observed that exposed females exhibited changes in the length of estrus cycle and extended estrus and, therefore, a reduction in the number of cycles during the studied period (F 2.6±0.22 and NF 1.2±0.29, p=0.03). The mean number of antral follicles declined by 36% (p=0.04) in NF mice (75±35.2) compared to F mice (118.6±18.4). Our results further indicate a significant increase in time necessary for mating and decreased fertility and pregnancy indices (p=0.003) in NF couples. Mean post-implantation loss rates were increased by 70% (p⩽0.005) in the NF2 group (exposed before and during pregnancy to NF air) compared to the F1 group (exposed before and during pregnancy to F air) and were influenced by both pre-gestational (p<0.004) and gestational (p<0.01) period exposure. Fetal weight was significantly higher in the F1 group when compared with the other groups (p<0.001), at a 20% higher weight in the F1 group (0.86±0.18 g) than in the NF2 group (0.68±0.10 g). Furthermore, fetal weight was influenced by both pre-gestational and gestational period exposure, and a significant interaction between these two factors was found (p<0.001). This study demonstrated that exposure to ambient levels of urban traffic-generated particulate matter negatively affects different functions and stages of the reproductive process. Our results also reinforce the idea that maternal exposure to air pollution is linked to negative pregnancy outcomes, even if the exposure occurs only before conception.