Mobile phone use threatens male fertility

12:39:32

2023-11-02

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A recent study reported that excessive use of mobile phones may affect men's fertility, and this effect may even lead to infertility. However, the good news is that modern phones are less harmful than old ones.

According to what was reported in the British newspaper The Independent, the study reported that the use of mobile phones may be linked to a decrease in sperm concentration and total number. Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) analyzed data on 2,886 Swiss men between the ages of 18 and 22, who were recruited between 2005 and 2018 in six military recruitment centers.

The researchers found that sperm concentration was higher in the group of men who did not use their phones more than once a week, compared to men who used their phones more than 20 times a day.

According to the study, this difference corresponds to a 21% lower sperm concentration in frequent phone users, who used the devices more than 20 times a day, compared to infrequent users, who used their phones less than once, or once a day.

The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that it will likely take a man more than a year to conceive a child if his sperm concentration is less than 15 million per milliliter. Previous studies have shown that semen quality has declined over the past 50 years, due to a combination of environmental factors (pesticides, radiation) and lifestyle habits (diet, alcohol, stress, smoking).

This association found in the study was more evident in the first study period (2005-2007) and gradually decreased over time (2008-2011 and 2012-2018).

The results indicate that the fourth generation of cell phones (4G) may be less harmful than the second generation (2G).

“This trend corresponds to the transition from 2G to 3G, and then from 3G to 4G,” said Martin Rosli, associate professor at the Swiss Institute for Tropical and Public Health (Swiss TPH). This led to a decrease in the transmission power of phones.”

“Previous studies have been conducted that evaluate the relationship between "Mobile phone use and semen quality on a relatively small number of individuals, they rarely took into account lifestyle information, and they were subjected to selection bias, as they were recruited from fertility clinics. This led to inconclusive results."

The research indicates that where the phone is stored, such as pants pockets, was not linked to low levels of concentration and counting. However, the number of people who said they did not hold their phones close to their bodies was too small to reach a firm conclusion on this point.

The men participating in the study completed a detailed questionnaire regarding their lifestyle habits, their general health condition, the frequency with which they use their phones, as well as where they are placed when not in use.

Alan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Manchester, explained: “If men are feeling anxious, keeping their phones in a bag and limiting their use is relatively easy for them.”