Mobile phones have become a part of our lives, but we don't even realize that they can harm and hinder our desire to have children. How does a cell phone affect fertility?
A new study has shown that cell phone affects the fertility. In a study published in October 2023, researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) found that the average sperm concentration was once about 99 million per milliliter, but has now dropped by less than half to about 47 million.
The World Health Organization states that a sperm concentration below 15 million per milliliter greatly impairs the ability to conceive. In addition, when the concentration falls below 40 million, the probability of successful conception decreases.
Photo: envatoThe research team is convinced that the decline in seed quality is the result of modern environmental and lifestyle influences. These include obesity, alcohol consumption, stress, exposure to pesticides and smoking. As well as exposure to electromagnetic radiation - the mobile phone is one of these factors. Their findings are detailed in a peer-reviewed journal Sterility and Fertility. They show that the increasing dependence on mobile devices has a strong impact on the biological functions of the individual.
How cell phones affect fertility: A survey of young men
For this purpose, the research team analyzed the data of 2,886 healthy Swiss men aged 18 to 22, which represents the active age for reproductive health. These participants self-reported details about their lifestyle, general health, and specifically their cell phone usage patterns.
Photo: Unsplash/Erik McleanBased on this, the researchers came to interesting conclusions. Men who used their cell phones more than 20 times a day had a sperm concentration of 44.5 million per milliliter. In contrast, men who used their phone less than once a week showed a higher sperm concentration of 56.5 million per milliliter.
Advanced technology has less negative impact on sperm
Another interesting finding of the study was how the relationship between cell phone use and sperm quality evolved along with advances in cellular network technology. In the initial phase of the study, from 2005 to 2007 (network 2G), the negative impact on sperm concentration was quite noticeable. With the advancement of mobile technology to 3G and then to 4G, however, this harmful effect has diminished.
The research, however, did not definitively link cell phone use to other aspects of semen quality, such as sperm motility and morphology. It was also found that the habit of carrying a mobile phone in a trouser pocket did not show a significant correlation with a decrease in semen quality indicators.
