The shocking reasons behind male infertility
AHALTON fertility expert has explained the alarming reasons behind the ‘shocking’ drop in men’s sperm counts.
A major study revealed yesterday that men’s sperm counts had plummeted by almost 60% over the past four decades in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Dr Luciano Nardo, who runs the Reproductive Health Group clinic in Daresbury, near Runcorn, said he had seen a huge rise in men struggling to have children.
He said many of the common habits and trends of modern life could be to blame – such as stress, drinking too much, smoking, eating unhealthy food and putting on weight.
Older men were also more likely to have fertility problems.
He said: “I’ve absolutely noticed this. The number of patients we have with an underlying male fertility issue has increased fivefold – it’s probably 35% of our cases now, compared to 5% when we started.
“We’ve also noticed many men from Merseyside are older than those coming to us from other areas.”
He added: “For the past 25 years, most focus has been on women and how to increase their fertility, while male fertility has been dismissed and problems underestimated.
“But to get pregnant you need egg and sperm. We know women get older and have fewer, poorer eggs, the same happens with men and the performance of their sperm.”
He even recommended men consider shelling out on freezing their sperm to ensure they can have children later, in case they have trouble conceiving because of health problems.
Several studies have suggested exposure to certain chemicals as babies in the womb or as adults could also be to blame for the declining sperm count in many developing countries. The new research is one of the most comprehensive studies yet, appearing to prove beyond doubt there has been a downward trend.
The decline was not noted in other parts of the world.
Andrew Drakeley, clinical director at Liverpool’s Hewitt Fertility Centre, said: “The results do give cause for concern, but as always there should be some caution due to the variables that come naturally with testing of sperm counts. General lifestyle choices can also make a difference to an individual’s fertility.
“The findings even further emphasise the invaluable gift that sperm and egg donors can give to people less fortunate who are encountering their own fertility issues.”
Dr Hagai Levine, of the Hebrew University Of Jerusalem, who co-led the research, said: “Given the importance of sperm counts for male fertility and human health, this study is an urgent wake-up call for researchers and health authorities around the world to investigate the causes of the sharp ongoing drop in sperm count.” ●