19-year follow-up: pesticide exposure and fertility in young adults
The ESPINA Study 19th Year Follow-Up: A Longitudinal Investigation of Pesticide Exposures in relation to Fertility and Hormonal Health
This follow-up looks at people who grew up near flower farms to learn how pesticide exposure relates to fertility and hormone health in their early adult years.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11228338 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This follow-up focuses on participants from the long-running ESPINA cohort who were raised near large flower farms in Pedro Moncayo County, Ecuador. About 500 people now aged roughly 21–27 will provide new and/or previously stored blood and urine samples, and men may provide semen samples, so researchers can measure hormone levels, sperm quality, and pesticide biomarkers. The team will combine those lab measures with health questionnaires and clinic-based markers of ovarian reserve to link exposure patterns over time with reproductive outcomes. The goal is to use long-term biomarker data rather than just one-time reports to better understand potential lasting effects of agricultural pesticides on fertility.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are members of the original ESPINA cohort who are now about 21–27 years old and who grew up in or near Pedro Moncayo County, Ecuador, with potential pesticide exposure; both men and women are included.
Not a fit: People who never lived near agricultural pesticide use, are outside the target age range, or were not part of the ESPINA cohort are unlikely to be eligible or to directly benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could clarify whether long-term pesticide exposure harms fertility or hormone health and inform prevention, screening, or policy to protect reproductive health.
How similar studies have performed: Previous cross-sectional and smaller cohort studies have linked pesticides to lower sperm counts and altered menstrual or hormone measures, but long-term biomarker-based follow-ups of this scale are relatively uncommon.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Suarez, Jose Ricardo — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Suarez, Jose Ricardo
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.