Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study

Principal investigator: Germaine M. Buck Louis, Ph.D., M.S.
The Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study (http://www.lifestudy.us ) is designed to examine the relation between ubiquitous environmental chemicals, lifestyle, and human fecundity and fertility. The primary exposures of interest include persistent chemicals (e.g., PCBs, PBDEs and PFOS) and lifestyle factors (e.g., stress, cigarette smoking, caffeine, and alcohol usage). The LIFE Study will follow 800 couples in two states as they try to become pregnant for up to 12 at-risk menstrual cycles. Women who conceive will be followed through delivery. Primary outcome measures include fecundability, pregnancy loss, infertility, and infant gestation and birth size.

DESPR Collaborators

· Enrique F. Schisterman, Ph.D.
· Aiyi Liu, Ph.D.
· Rajeshwari Sundaram, Ph.D.
Selected Publications

Lynch CD, Jackson L, & Buck Louis GM. (2006). Estimation of the day-specific probabilities of conception: Current state of the knowledge and the relevance for epidemiologic research. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 20 (Suppl 1):3-12. [Abstract]

Louis GMB, Lynch CD, & Cooney MA. (2006). Environmental influences on female fecundity and fertility. Seminars in Reproductive Medicine, 24(3):178-190. [Abstract]

Buck GM, Lynch CD, Stanford JB, Sweeney AM, Schieve LA, Rockett JC, Selevan SG, & Schrader SM. (2004). Prospective pregnancy study designs for assessing reproductive developmental toxicants. Environmental Health Perspectives, 112:79-86. [Abstract]

Rockett JC, Buck GM, Johnson CD, & Perreault SD. (2004). The value of home-based collection of biospecimens in reproductive epidemiology. Environmental Health Perspectives, 112:94-104. [Abstract]

Lobdell D, Buck, GM, Weiner MJ, & Mendola P. (2003). Using commercial telephone directories to obtain a population-based sample for mail survey of women of reproductive age. Paediatric & Perinatal Epidemiology, 17:294-301. [Abstract]