Associations between Ambient Air Pollution Exposure and Menstrual Cycle Irregularity in Premenopausal Women
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: PURPOSE: This study investigates the associations between various air pollutants and menstrual cycle irregularity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for premenopausal women were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n=4478). We evaluated the associations of moving averages of five air pollutants over 90, 120, 150, 180, and 365 days with short-interval (menstruation occurring at least once every 3 months) and long-interval (menstruation skipped for ≥ 3 months) menstrual cycle irregularity using multinomial logistic regression models. The joint effects of air pollution mixtures were explored using the quantile g-computation method. RESULTS: Interquartile range increases in moving averages of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) over 90, 120, 150, and 180 days were associated with short-interval menstrual cycle irregularity [e.g., odds ratio (OR)=1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03, 1.50 for NO₂ over 120 days; OR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.12 for SO₂ over 150 days]. Each quintile increase in air pollution mixture (NO₂ over 120 days and SO₂ over 150 days) was also associated with short-interval menstrual cycle irregularity (OR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.14). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate associations between various exposure indices of NO₂ and SO₂ and short-interval menstrual cycle irregularity in a representative sample of Korean premenopausal women. This research represents one of the first investigations on this issue; therefore, further longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
Source: Yonsei Medical Journal
Authors: Junseo Choi, Sanghee Shin, Jaelim Cho, Changsoo Kim, Kyoung-Nam Kim
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $700
Funders: National Research Foundation, Yonsei University, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, National Research Foundation of Korea, Ministry of Education, India, Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea, Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine
OpenAlex ID: W7115741510