Penelope P. Howards

BackgroundThere is evidence that in-utero exposure to PBBs, and similar chemicals, are associated with several adverse reproductive health outcomes including altered pubertal timing. However, less is known about the effects of in-utero expo…

ObjectiveTo examine whether female cancer survivors are more likely to pursue care for infertility after cancer than women without cancer.DesignPopulation-based cohort study involving detailed interviews regarding reproductive history.Setti…

Background: There is a growing body of evidence that ovarian cystectomy may negatively impact ovarian reserve. However, it is unclear whether ovarian cyst surgery puts women at risk of future infertility. This study investigates whether sur…

In a 1989 paper, Marchbanks et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 1989;130(2):259-267) noted inconsistent definitions of infertility across research and clinical practice and examined differences in prevalence estimates across definitions. Since their st…

OBJECTIVE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disproportionately affects women and often develops during their reproductive years. Research suggests that some women who receive cyclophosphamide as treatment for SLE experience earlier declin…

ObjectiveTo assess which characteristics are associated with failure to receive fertility counseling among a cohort of young women diagnosed with cancer.DesignPopulation-based cohort study.SettingNot applicable.Patient(s)A total of 1,282 ca…

BackgroundFertility counselling and treatment can help women achieve their desired family size; however, disparities exist in the utilisation of this care.MethodsThis study examines the persistence of a racial disparity in visiting a doctor…

ICD-9 codes are conventionally used to identify pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) from administrative data for surveillance purposes. This approach may include non-PID cases. To refine PID case identification among women with ICD-9 codes su…

BackgroundCadmium, lead and mercury have been identified in human follicular fluid and ovarian tissue, and have been associated with adverse reproductive outcomes in epidemiologic studies; however, few studies have examined the relationship…

Studies in both human and animal species have suggested that oxidative stress may be associated with health outcomes, including the risk of infertility in both males and females. Sex hormones have been shown to have antioxidant properties. …

Planning study visits during specific menstrual cycle phases is important if the exposure or outcome is influenced by hormonal variation. However, hormone profiles differ across cycles and across women. The value of using fertility monitors…