Introduction. Heavy metals and sulfur dioxide can adversely influence reproductive health of
women. The main aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of reproductive health problems,
particularly infertility, miscarriages, and abnormal births and check if there was an association
between living near the polymetalic smelter (as a proxy measure for being exposed to heavy metals
and sulfur dioxide) after controlling for other reproductive health risk factors.
Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 370 participants (ever married women of
reproductive age) from smelter town Alaverdi and 370 participants from the comparison town
Artik. The instrument of the study was a self-administered questionnaire. The main outcome
variables of interest were infertility, miscarriages, induced abortions due to medical indications,
stillbirths, perinatal mortality, and birth defects. The main independent variable of the study was living
in Alaverdi or Artik (proxy measure of being exposed to heavy metals and sulfur dioxide). The study
used multi stage cluster sampling strategy.
Results. The odds of having stillbirth was 2.38 times higher (p= 0.033), the odds of having an
induced abortion due to medical indications (health/life threatening pregnancy, congenital
defects, dead fetus) was 2.67 times higher (p=0.007), and the odds of having perinatal mortality
(newborn died within 7 days after birth) was 2.76 times higher (p=0.054) among women living
in Alaverdi compared with women living in Artik after adjusting for counfounders.
Conclusions. The study showed that living in Alaverdi (proxy measure of being exposed to heavy
metals and sulfur dioxide) increases the risk of having stillbirths, induced abortions due to medical
indications, and perinatal mortality.