A longitudinal study of semen quality in pesticide spraying Danish farmers

It was hypothesized that occupational exposure to pesticides during a spray ing season causes changes in semen quality that might be detected in a long itudinal study. We analyzed the within-person changes in semen quality and reproductive hormones across a spraying season in groups of farmers using a nd not using pesticides. A total of 248 men collected two semen samples (pa rticipation rate: 32%), The median sperm concentration declined significant ly from the first to the second sample in both groups, but there was no sta tistical difference in the decline between the two groups, unadjusted or ad justed, Only minor changes were found in sperm morphology, vitality, motili ty, sperm chromatin denaturation (SCSA), and reproductive hormones, and the differences in changes between the two groups were nonsignificant, or, in the opposite direction to the expected. There was no relation between the c hanges in sperm parameters in relation to pesticide exposure variables. In conclusion, use of pesticides by Danish farmers is not a likely cause of sh ort-term effects on semen quality and reproductive hormones. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science Inc.