Cell Phone Use May Affect Sperm Count, New Study Reveals

A new study, published in the leading medical journal Fertility and Sterility, has concluded that using cell phones for extended periods of time may significantly affect male sperm quantity and quality. According to the source, this would significantly lower the chances of a couple of getting pregnant.

The study was led by Dr. Agarwal, from the Reproductive Research Center, Glickman Urological Institute and Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, Cleveland Clinic. Researchers that participated in this study titled "Effect of cell phone usage on semen analysis in men attending infertility clinic: an observational study," believe that there is an inverse relationship between male sperm count (and quality) and the frequency of phone cell usage.

According to the authors, cell phones work with frequency bands that range 400 MHz and 2000 MHz . They also spread radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (EMW). Recent studies have hinted at the possibility that these radio frequencies may affect a variety of tissues and or organs the brain, the heart, the endocrine system, and the DNA molecule. Scientific evidence is not conclusive but extensive cell phone use is said to produce fatigue and headache among other things.

In this study semen samples were collected from men going to an infertility clinic. Semen samples were analyzed for 8 parameters set by the World health Organization as the parameters indicative of sperm vitality. Also, cell phone use time was obtained by asking patients the approximate time of usage and four groups were conformed according to the extension of time of cell phone use. Groups ranged from No use to more than 4 hours a day.

The statistical analysis of the data found a strong correlation (strong relationship) between the count and quality of the sperm and the time of usage of the cell phone in these men attending the infertility clinic.

The relationship was inverse and the results indicated that the men in the group that used their cell phone more than 4 hours a day experienced the lower sperm count as well as on sperm mobility and viability.

The study concluded that the most important measures of sperm health were negatively affected by cell phone use and that they believe that this fact will definitely be seen as a decrease in fertility in these men. However, they point out a few limitations of their study. For example they relied on info giving by the patients about cell phone usage so the amount of time was not scientifically validated. Also, authors said that they did not evaluated the patients's exposure to other sources of electromagnetic radiation such as radiotowers, PDAs, Bluetooth devices, and computers.

Source:

Ashok Agarwal. 2008. Effect of cell phone usage on semen analysis in men attending infertility clinic: an observational study. Fertility and Sterility. Volume 89, Issue 1, Pages 124-128 URL: http://www.fertstert.org/article/PIIS0015028207003329/abstract