Plus, the implications of declining sperm counts extend far beyond the ability to have children. It's linked to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes & premature mortality for men.
As for women, fertility challenges are no longer just a problem for women in their 30s or 40s. Nowadays they can strike earlier, which emphasizes the need to address fertility health even long before family planning is on the horizon.
The most alarming aspect is that these trends show no signs of slowing down and the consequences are dire.
📝 11 Quick Facts
1. Negative reproductive changes in men are increasing by 1% yearly, including declining sperm counts, decreasing testosterone levels, rising testicular cancer rates, and an increase in erectile dysfunction.
2. Miscarriage rates in women are also increasing by about 1% yearly, with declining sperm quality playing a role.
3. 69% of the aspiring sperm donors made the cut in 2003, but only 44% did in 2013.
4. In some parts of the world, today's average twenty-something woman is found to be less fertile than her grandmother was at the age of thirty-five.
Unlike men who keep making new sperm and who can actually improve their sperm quality with lifestyle adjustments, women are born with all their eggs and can't make more. So, if the quality of those eggs goes downhill due to factors like chemicals or age, the situation can get complicated.
5. Our idea of what's a "good enough" sperm concentration has really gone down.
It used to be 40 million/mL, then the WHO lowered it to 20 million/mL in 1980 and to 15 million/mL in 2010.
For comparison, in the 1940s, 60 million/mL was considered an adequate sperm count.\xa0
6. Low testosterone levels are a hidden factor contributing to male infertility.\xa0Testosterone levels have been declining by 1% yearly since 1982.
7. Surprisingly, testosterone replacement therapy can lower sperm count. It actually has been studied as a method of birth control because 90% of men can have their sperm counts drop to zero while they're on it.
This reduction in sperm count is achieved by suppressing the levels of two hormones, LH (luteinizing hormone) & FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), which are essential for sperm production.
8. As men age, particularly as they reach the north side of 40, their sperm becomes more susceptible to mutation, increasing the risk of children being born with disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, Down syndrome, and affecting their partner's miscarriage risk.
9. High prenatal exposures to EDCs, including pesticides and phthalates (found in many products, including plastic, vinyl, personal-care items, and medical devices), have been associated with a higher risk of external genital malformations in male newborns, which therefore can lead to fertility problems once they grow up as some phthalates can reduce male hormone production & disrupt masculinization.
10. Normally, during the first years of life, girls, on average, acquire language faster than boys and have larger vocabulary.
For example, at 16 months, girls have a vocabulary of 95 words, while boys have a vocabulary of 25 words.
When expectant mothers have low exposure to an antiandrogenic phthalate called dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or they don't use Tylenol during pregnancy, the gender difference in language delay in their babies is large (which is the norm); by contrast, when pregnant women are exposed to high levels of DBP or Tylenol during pregnancy, there is little difference in language acquisition between boys and girls.
Simply put, the difference in language development between the genders becomes blurred with these chemical exposures, and it's suspected there are many other negative outcomes too.
11. The main problem affecting human reproductive health is not an inherent issue with the human body but rather the disruption caused by chemicals in the environment and unhealthy lifestyle practices in the modern world that often lead to hormonal imbalances, fertility problems & other long-term health issues.
The widespread presence of environmental chemicals, including endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), has led to observed abnormalities in the genitalia and reproductive organs even of various wildlife species.\xa0
For example, alligators in certain areas have been found to exhibit malformed or underdeveloped genitalia due to exposure to chemicals that have leached into water bodies.\xa0
These observations highlight the ecological consequences of chemical pollution and the potential threats it poses to the reproductive health & survival of animal populations (including Humans).
What Can We Do?
The first step towards addressing this crisis is awareness & shedding light on this issue.
Many people are unaware of these troubling trends, and those who are, often silently struggle with them, which can take a toll emotionally & financially.
By spreading awareness, we can encourage more open conversations about fertility health, reduce stigma & ultimately help Humans make informed decisions to prevent a potentially dystopian future from becoming a reality.
Blood Testing
Certain fertility aspects can be assessed through a simple blood test. Take action now to gain a better understanding of your reproductive health - or simply check your hormones, which is important regardless. 😉
