Environmental Exposures on Male and Female Fertility in the Maximum Reproductive Age

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, in addition to harmful lifestyles, the role of environmental factors in influencing human health, with even transgenerational effects, has become increasingly evident. The widespread contamination of air, water, and soil due to human activities, as well as the more subtle presence of electromagnetic fields, seems to have as an elective target the male and female reproductive systems. The growth rate of couple infertility in the last several decades, and the most evident drop in sperm quality, are the most faithful mirrors of environmental impact on human health. Thus, biomarkers of reproductive health could be exploited as early flags of environmental pressure and enhanced risk of chronic adverse effects on health. The growing interest in the transgenerational effects induced by pollution on gametes shifts the interest in prevention as far as preconception. This approach appears very promising, above all in young people (maximum fertile age: 18–35 years), considering the possibility of reducing noncommunicable diseases in future adults and generations. In this context, the safeguarding of germ cells is a new challenge to reduce the burden of epigenetically transmitted diseases. This Special Issue intends to present the current research on the association between environmental exposure and fertility with a view to safeguarding not only reproductive but general health, in order to collect indications and measures for prevention, resilience, and health risk management. Authors are kindly invited to submit original research papers, reviews, and short communications.

Dr. Luigi Montano
Dr. Antonino Guglielmino
Dr. Paola Viganò
Guest Editors

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