Environmental and lifestyle effects on IVF and fertility treatment success

A Large-Scale Prospective Cohort Study on the Association of Environmental Exposures and Behavioral Factors With Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Success Rates

This project will try to see if everyday environmental chemicals (like from plastics or air pollution) and personal habits (like diet and stress) change the chances of pregnancy and live birth for couples using fertility treatments such as IVF.

Quick facts

• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 5000 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 46 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University (Academic / other)
• Drugs / interventions: radiation
• Locations: 1 site (Changsha, Hunan)
• Trial ID: NCT07384676 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This large observational project will follow about 5,000 couples undergoing assisted reproductive treatments at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Xiangya Third Hospital in Changsha, Hunan. Participants complete questionnaires about health, diet, stress and environmental exposures and provide small biological samples (blood and urine) collected during routine care. Researchers will link exposure and lifestyle data to anonymized treatment outcomes including pregnancy and live birth. The aim is to identify modifiable factors associated with lower or higher chances of treatment success to inform clinical guidance and public health advice.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are couples diagnosed with infertility who are planning or undergoing ART at Xiangya Third Hospital, with women aged 18–46 using their own eggs and men aged 18–55 using their own sperm who can give informed consent.

Not a fit: Patients unlikely to benefit include those with ART contraindications (such as acute reproductive infections, severe genetic or physical illnesses, recent teratogenic exposures, or a history of pregnancy defects attributed to the female) or those using donor gametes or outside the stated age ranges.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help patients and clinicians reduce harmful exposures or change behaviors to improve chances of pregnancy and live birth.

How similar studies have performed: Prior cohort studies have reported some links between environmental exposures and reproductive outcomes, but results are mixed and causal relationships remain uncertain.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* A. Women aged 18 to 46 who use their own eggs; Men aged 18 to 55 who use their own sperm; B. Patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for infertility; C. Medical history clearly indicating the duration of persistent infertility; D. Voluntarily participating in the project and signing the informed consent form;

Exclusion Criteria:

* A. The groups of artificial insemination patients with any of the following ARTs contraindications: a. The female has a sperm-egg combination disorder caused by tubal factors. b. The female has acute infections of the reproductive and urinary systems or sexually transmitted diseases. c. The female has genetic diseases, severe physical illnesses, or mental and psychological disorders. d. There is a history of giving birth to infants with congenital defects and it has been confirmed that the defect was caused by the female. e. The female has been exposed to teratogenic doses of radiation, toxins, or drugs and is in the active period. f. The female has bad habits such as alcoholism or drug abuse. B. The groups of first-generation and second-generation IVF patients with any of the following ARTs contraindications: a. Either of the parties providing gametes has acute infections of the reproductive and urinary systems and sexually transmitted diseases or has bad habits such as alcoholism or drug abuse. b. Either of the parties providing gametes has been exposed to teratogenic doses of radiation, toxins, or drugs and is in the active period. c. The female partner of the recipient who provides eggs or embryos has acute infections of the reproductive and urinary systems and sexually transmitted diseases, or has bad habits such as alcoholism or drug abuse. d. The female has an unviable uterus or severe physical illnesses that cannot withstand pregnancy. C. No embryo transfer was performed after egg retrieval; D. More than 180 days have passed since egg retrieval and frozen embryo transfer was performed.

Where this trial is running

Changsha, Hunan

• Reproductive Medicine Center of Xiangya Third Hospital of Central South University — Changsha, Hunan, China (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Xingping Zhao

Conditions Environmental Exposure; Assisted Reproductive Technology; Prospective Study