A novel discovery about infertility recently came into the limelight. A recent research commenced by the European Science Foundation (ESF) claims that decreased male fertility adds to difficulty in conceiving and contribute to low birth rates. Testosterone levels seem to be declining with elevation in sperm count.
Women postponing motherhood possibly have reduced fertility and poor sperm making it even more harder to conceive. Since poor sperm is apparently a part of the reason more couples employ IVF, it makes such therapies less successful. A common strategy addressing to the poor state of men’s reproductive health can be undertaken. Male reproductive health is presumably hampered because of environmental and lifestyle factors. Therefore preventing such factors can possibly benefit.
Professor Niels Skakkebaek from the University of Copenhagen, and colleagues believe that among some men lifestyle factors like obesity and smoking can affect sperm count. It is predicted that if obesity and smoking can affect sperm counts, mothers smoking during pregnancy are affecting their son’s sperm count as they grow up. It is known that with progression in age testosterone levels naturally drops leading to cardiovascular and metabolic health problems. Furthermore, low sperm counts and declined testosterone levels are both linked with increased risk of early death for men.