Cell Phone Usage Linked To Lower Sperm Count

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Main Category: Fertility
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology;  Men's health;  Endocrinology
Article Date: 23 Oct 2006 - 22:00 PDT

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The more a man uses his cell phone the lower his sperm count is likely to be, said researchers from Cleveland, New Orleans and Mumbai, at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The researchers found that every aspect of a man's sperm profile can be affected by many hours on his cell phone.

The researchers looked at the sperm count, motility and normal forms of the sperm of 364 men. They found that:

-- among men with a normal sperm count who never used a mobile phone, average sperm counts were 86 million per milliliter, 68% motility and 40% normal sperms

-- among men with a normal sperm count who used their mobiles more than four hours per day, average sperm counts were 66 million sperm per milliliter, 46% motility and 21% normal forms

The researchers believe the effect on sperm profiles may be caused by the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the devices, or their heat. They added that further studies are needed to find out exactly what the mechanisms are that undermine sperm quality.

"Relationship between cell phone use and human fertility: an observational study"
P-398 A. Agarwal, S. A. Prabakaran, G. Ranga, A. T. Sundaram, R. K. Sharma, S. C. Sikka
HIGHLIGHTS from the 62nd ANNUAL MEETING AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
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