Neil J. Perkins

BACKGROUND: Male preconception health remains a critically under-addressed area of family planning. While research suggests air pollution may harm semen quality, downstream impacts on pregnancy, particularly for more vulnerable infertility …

BACKGROUND: Caffeine is the most frequently used psychoactive substance in the United States and >90% of reproductive-age women report some amount of intake daily. Despite biological plausibility, previous studies on caffeine and fecundabil…

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether prenatal low-dose aspirin (LDA) therapy affects risk of cesarean versus vaginal delivery. STUDY DESIGN: This study is a secondary analysis of the randomized clinical effects of aspirin in gest…

CONTEXT: Diets high in plant-based protein have gained popularity due to increasing health concerns regarding consumption of animal products. Though links between intakes of certain protein-rich foods and reproductive disorders have been su…

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may derive from either elevated oxidative stress or reduced antioxidant vitamin levels in the body; however, these relationships have been minimally studied in a large cohor…

Evolutionary theory suggests that some animal species may experience shifts in their offspring sex ratio in response to maternal health and environmental conditions, and in some unfavorable conditions, females may be less likely to bear son…

OBJECTIVE: To characterize variation in circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFLT-1), across the menstrual cycle in normal ovulating women in relation to reproductive ho…

IMPORTANCE: Dietary supplements marketed for male fertility commonly contain folic acid and zinc based on limited prior evidence for improving semen quality. However, no large-scale trial has examined the efficacy of this therapy for improv…

Several autoimmune conditions have adverse effects on reproductive outcomes, but the relationship between family history of autoimmune disease in women without these conditions and pregnancy is uncertain. The objective of this study was to …

BACKGROUND: Opioids are commonly prescribed to women of reproductive age, including after delivery and miscarriage. However, to our knowledge, opioid use has not been frequently studied in relation to the common reproductive complications o…

BACKGROUND: Platelet activation may play a role in the pathophysiology of placenta-mediated obstetrical complications, as evidenced by the efficacy of aspirin in preventing preeclampsia, but published data regarding the relationship between…

Anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) is an established marker of ovarian reserve that decreases with age. Though the pool of ovarian follicles is established during fetal development, impacts of in utero exposures on AMH are uncertain. Thus, we sou…

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate the association of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) exposure through critical windows of pregnancy establishment with fecundability and pregnancy loss. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study u…

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, although the association between preconception vitamin D concentrations and livebirth is unknown. We aimed to assess the association between pr…

OBJECTIVE: To assess systemic inflammation in relation to fecundability and anovulation. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study among participants in the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction trial who were assigned to the placebo. S…

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the associations of bisphenol A, chlorophenols, benzophenones, and parabens with reproductive hormone levels in women. Our goal was to evaluate the associations between repeated measures of these chemicals …

CONTEXT: Fatty acids (FAs) are important for reproductive processes, including steroidogenesis, though associations with fecundability, as measured by time to pregnancy (TTP), are unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between…

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have reported mixed results regarding relationships between vitamin D, androgens, and sex hormone-binding globulin in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. However, less is known regarding these associations in …

CONTEXT: Inflammation is linked to causes of infertility. Low-dose aspirin (LDA) may improve reproductive success in women with chronic, low-grade inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of preconception-initiated LDA on pregnan…

BACKGROUND: Overt thyroid dysfunction has been associated with adverse obstetric outcomes. However, less is known regarding subclinical hypothyroidism or thyroid autoimmunity and their relationship to pregnancy complications. OBJECTIVE: Th…

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests potential links between some dietary fatty acids and improved fertility, because specific fatty acids may affect prostaglandin synthesis and steroidogenesis. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this explorato…

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to characterize the patterns of medication intake in healthy, reproductive-age women not using hormonal contraception. METHODS: Two hundered fifty-nine healthy, premenopausal women (18-44 years of age)…

BACKGROUND: Evidence is growing that the equilibrium between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants plays a vital role in women's reproductive health. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate variations in serum antioxidant…