Title of project

Is the overthecounter mild analgesic paracetamol reducing female fertility?

Abstract

Alone in Denmark last year approximately 12% of all pregnancies were conceived after consulting a fertility clinic. At the same time, it remains a mystery why the majority of natural fertilizations (~60%) fail during development. We now have data from US and Denmark that indicate the chemical environment plays a critical role in both oocyte maturation and pregnancy loss. From our work in Boston, we know that environmental pollutants such as phthalates and parabens are linked to lower oocyte yield, fewer mature oocytes, and reduced chances of clinical pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). In Denmark, we have new data showing that mild analgesics such as paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) simultaneously disrupt secretion of the crucial female fertility hormone anti-mullerian hormone and prevent pre-implantation development leading potentially to embryonic death. The main goal of the present proposal is therefore to characterize the levels of paracetamol in women undergoing IVF to investigate if exposure decreases ovarian endocrine function and reduce chances of full-term pregnancy. This will be complemented by laboratory experiments to further understand how paracetamol disrupts cellular function and DNA replication. The essential gain of this study is therefore to strengthen the interdisciplinary collaborations between our departments in US and Denmark in order to be able to guide women and their clinicians on the safety of paracetamol and a confirmation of our hypothesis that chemical environment through compounds such as phthalates and paracetamol disrupt female fertility.