Laptops and the Male Lap

Main Category: Fertility
Article Date: 06 Feb 2005 - 9:00 PDT

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Taking saunas and hot baths or wearing tight underwear should be avoided by men seeking to have children, because these activities raise the scrotum's temperature.

Should laptop computers be added to the list? UAB urologist Peter N. Kolettis, M.D., a specialist in male infertility, said, "One pilot study in the literature shows that laptops can elevate scrotal temperature, and we know sperm production can be impaired by higher temperatures in that region. More research needs to be done to make a specific correlation, but I discourage patients from any prolonged exposure to scrotal heat. If my patients use a laptop, I suggest they use a pillow for insulation - or place the computer on a table."

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