Effect of Noise Pollution on the Hormonal and Semen Analysis Parameters in Industrial Workers of Bushehr, Iran

Abstract

Objective: One of the concerns of health officials is noise pollution and in the realm of health, the problems of sterility and infertility resulting from noise pollution greatly attract the interest of experts nowadays. Noise is one of the harmful environmental factors and one of the most cacophonous of the unavoidable phenomena at home and workplace. Considering Bushehr is one of the cities with high infertility rates, we decided to study labor and industrial environments. Materials and Methods: Two groups of men volunteer workers, 27 members in each, who were constantly exposed to noisy 107- or 119-decibel environments, were studied together with one group of 27 workers living in quiet environments serving as the control. These people were referred to the Omid Khalij Fars Infertility Center in Bushehr where blood samples were taken and tested for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, testosterone, prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and thyroid hormones T3, T4, and Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and semen samples were taken and sent to the specialized laboratory of the Center. Results: Statistical studies showed that noise stress in the 119-decibel group significantly reduced the concentrations of the testosterone, prolactin, LH, and FSH hormones and of the thyroid hormones T3, T4, and TSH, and significantly increased the concentrations of the ACTH and cortisol hormones, compared to the control group. Moreover, semen analysis indicated major changes in semen parameters, especially under 119-decibel. Conclusion: Noise causes changes in hormones involved in the physiological process of fertility and in semen analysis parameters and, hence, has harmful effects on fertility.

Keywords

• Hormones
• Noise pollution