Air Pollution And Fertility: How Toxic Smog In Delhi–NCR Is Impacting Reproductive Health In Men And Women?

Air pollution in Delhi NCR may affect fertility in men and women. Know how toxic smog impacts reproductive health, hormones, and pregnancy outcomes.

Late 2025 saw another instance when air pollution in Delhi and other parts of the NCR reached alarming levels and put this region on the list of the most affected zones in the country. The average level of PM2.5 rose to 215 micrograms per cubic metre, which is nearly twice as witnessed in October. Several days witnessed an Air Quality Index above 400, which is a level critical even for a healthy individual. A thick haze blanketed large parts of the region, leaving people struggling with shortness of breath, head congestion and fatigue. Reports focus primarily on lungs and cardiovascular systems, but recent studies show reproductive systems may not be immune to this problem either.

What's Really in the Air We Breathe?

According to Dr Sheetal Jindal, Senior Consultant and Medical Director, Jindal IVF, Chandigarh, "The air in our capital contains far more than just dust. Among these pollutants are gases such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide, in addition to particulates of varying sizes, including heavy metals such as lead and copper, and organic compounds such as dioxin and industrial solvents. All these gain access into our bodies via respiration, in addition to food and liquid ingestion, which have been compromised because of air pollution".

Hormonal Imbalance and Reproductive Disruption

Such imbalances in hormones and metabolism not only affect a woman's weight or blood sugar but can also impact:

1. The number of ovulations in a woman
2. Early pregnancy
3. The implantation of an embryo into a woman's uterus

A sudden peak in pollutant exposure can lead to oxidative stress, and both of these can suppress reproductive function.

How Pollution Affects Female Fertility?

Environmental exposures produce measurable effects on female reproductive outcomes.

Research among people undergoing IVF links exposure to nitrogen dioxide and ozone with lower live birth rates, while larger particulate matter around 10 micrometres in size has been associated with higher miscarriage risk. In the wider population, longer term exposure to fine particles such as PM2.5 and to particles between 2.5 and 10 micrometres is associated with reduced fecundability, meaning conception can take longer. Contact with sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide has also been implicated in a higher risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

Male Fertility Under Threat From Environmental Pollutants

The integrity of male reproductive health is also threatened by environmental degradation. Nearly half of all cases of infertility can be attributed to men, and pollution has come into focus as a major factor. Then there are heavy metals and pesticide residues which can impact sperm synthesis, motility, or damage sperm DNA. Other pollutants such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals can impact the balance of testosterone, which is vital during sperm synthesis. Populations which have lived under prolonged exposure to higher concentrations of PM2.5 and gases are showing gradual declines in semen quality, a trend that raises concern about wider population-level fertility.

Steps to Protect Reproductive Health

Using air purifiers in homes, staying indoors during peak hours when pollution levels surge, and relying on foods with natural antioxidant effects such as vitamin C and E can help in coping with the oxidative damage effects posed by air pollutants. A standard reproductive check-up, which will include an assessment of hormone and semen level, can help in identifying early symptoms of occupational stress. Importantly, a change in lifestyle involving managing stress, staying physically active, and minimising exposure to chemicals in plastics and processed foods can be concurrent with other strategies in dealing with life in a polluted city.