Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35924639›Full record

ArticleAndrology2022

Male personal heat exposures and fecundability: A preconception cohort study.

Craig J McKinnon, Dhruv J Joglekar, Elizabeth E Hatch, Kenneth J Rothman, Amelia K Wesselink, Mary D Willis, Tanran R Wang, Ellen M Mikkelsen, Michael L Eisenberg, Lauren A Wise

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Andrology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. A prospective study of male physical activity and fecundability.Human reproduction (Oxford, England) · 2025
    Article
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Craig J McKinnonDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Dhruv J JoglekarDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Elizabeth E HatchDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Kenneth J RothmanDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Amelia K WesselinkDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Mary D WillisDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Tanran R WangDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Ellen M MikkelsenDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Michael L EisenbergDepartment of Urology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Lauren A WiseDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2138-3752

Funding

An internet-based preconception cohort study in North America and DenmarkR01HD086742 · NICHD · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI LAUREN A WISE · 2016 to 2026
$6.7M
A prospective study of male factors, fertility, and pregnancy outcomesR01HD105863 · NICHD · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI EISENBERG, MICHAEL L, WISE, LAUREN A · 2021 to 2025
$3.6M
Feasibility of an internet-based study of time-to-pregnancy in the United StatesR21HD072326 · NICHD · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI WISE, LAUREN A · 2013 to 2014
$337k
Lifestyle and psychosocial determinants of male subfertility: a prospective studyR03HD090315 · NICHD · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI WISE, LAUREN A · 2017 to 2018
$165k
NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD086742NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD105863NICHD NIH HHS R03 HD090315NICHD NIH HHS R21 HD072326
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSeveral studies indicate adverse effects of selected heat exposures on semen quality, but few studies have directly evaluated fertility as an endpoint.

objectiveWe evaluated prospectively the association between male heat exposures and fecundability, the per-cycle probability of conception. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe analyzed data from 3041 couples residing in the United States or Canada who enrolled in a prospective preconception cohort study (2013-2021). At enrollment, males reported on several heat-related exposures, such as use of saunas, hot baths, seat heaters, and tight-fitting underwear. Pregnancy status was updated on female follow-up questionnaires every 8 weeks until conception or a censoring event (initiation of fertility treatment, cessation of pregnancy attempts, withdrawal, loss to follow-up, or 12 cycles), whichever came first. We used proportional probabilities regression models to estimate fecundability ratios (FR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between heat exposures and fecundability, mutually adjusting for heat exposures and other potential confounders.

resultsWe observed small inverse associations for hot bath/tub use (≥3 vs. 0 times/month: FR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.70-1.07) and fever in the 3 months before baseline (FR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.79-1.12; one cycle of follow-up: FR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.64-1.11). Little association was found for sauna use, hours of laptop use on one's lap, seat heater use, time spent sitting, and use of tight-fitting underwear. Based on a cumulative heat metric, FRs for 1, 2, 3, and ≥4 versus 0 heat exposures were 0.99 (95% CI: 0.87-1.12), 1.03 (95% CI: 0.89-1.19), 0.94 (95% CI: 0.74-1.19), and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.50-1.17), respectively. Associations were stronger among men aged ≥30 years (≥4 vs. 0 heat exposures: FR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.34-1.04).

conclusionMale use of hot tubs/baths and fever showed weak inverse associations with fecundability. Cumulative exposure to multiple heat sources was associated with a moderate reduction in fecundability, particularly among males aged ≥30 years.

Indexed as

Hot TemperatureSemen AnalysisCohort StudiesFemaleFertilityHumansMalePregnancyProspective Studiescohort studiesfertilityheat exposuremalepreconception

Identifiers

PMID35924639
PMCPMC9588744

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.