How Environmental Pollution Is Quietly Impacting Female Fertility?

In recent years, infertility has become a growing concern among urban women.

- DR. SHOBHA GUPTA

While age, hormonal imbalance, and lifestyle habits are well-recognized contributors to infertility, the impact of polluted air, contaminated water, and chemical exposure is often underestimated. According to Dr. Shobha Gupta, Medical Director and Infertility Specialist at Mother's Lap IVF centre and Founder of Mumma’s Blessing IVF and Birthing Paradise in Vrindavan “I have observed a steady rise in fertility concerns among women who otherwise appear healthy. Environmental pollution has emerged as a quiet but powerful factor influencing female fertility. Many women do not realize that long-term exposure to polluted air, chemical-laden products, and contaminated food can affect their reproductive potential”.

Air pollution is one of the most significant environmental threats today. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), vehicle emissions, and industrial pollutants enter the body through respiration and circulate in the bloodstream. Over time, they create oxidative stress and inflammation, which can impair ovarian function. “As I often explain, “Egg quality is not determined overnight; it reflects years of internal and external exposure, including the environment a woman lives in” said Dr. Shobha Gupta.

HOW POLLUTION IMPACTS FEMALE FERTILITY?

Air pollution is one of the most pervasive threats to women’s reproductive health today.