New research has pointed to alarming drop in sperm counts among men in western countries.
The research, billed as the first systemic review of sperm count trends around the world, found a 59.3% drop in sperm counts in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand between 1973 and 2011.
Over the same period there was also a 52.4% decline in overall sperm concentration in the West.
The results indicate that the decline is showing no sign of slowing down.
While the study does not suggest any explanation for the decline, researcher Dr Shanna H Swan said the fact that the decline is seen in western countries “strongly suggests that chemicals in commerce are playing a causal role in this trend."
Falling sperm counts have long been linked to lifestyle factors – as well as exposure to certain chemicals and pesticides and General Practitioner, Dr Monah Mansoori said smoking, drinking and obesity are prime suspects:
“We are always talking about the ticking time clock for women and ‘don’t leave it too late’ that sort of thing,” she said.
“But actually we do need to think about it for men as well and I think anyone who is thinking of starting a family needs to be aware of the factors that will affect their sperm count.”
While the drop was recorded in the west, there was no significant change in the rest of the world – where there have been far less studies undertaken over the years.
