Wednesday 11/March/2026 – 06:42 PM
Experts and doctors have warned of a noticeable decline in rates fertility Men over the past years, confirming that the phenomenon has become the subject of widespread interest in scientific circles, despite the continuing controversy over the real reasons behind it.
Decreased male fertility
According to medical reports, doctors are noticing an increase in the number of couples whose infertility is linked to factors related to men, which has prompted researchers to study the health and environmental factors that may be behind this decline.
Dr. Alex Robles, of the Columbia University Fertility Center in New York, said that doctors are already noticing a rise in cases in which the male factor is part of the infertility problem, explaining that about a third of couples undergoing medical evaluation show an element related to male fertility.
Scientific studies indicate that the number of sperm in men in Western countries has witnessed a significant decline over the past decades. An analytical study published in 2017 in the journal Human Reproduction Update revealed that sperm numbers have declined by about 60% since 1973, results that were confirmed by a subsequent research review in 2023.
Some researchers believe that this trend may represent a worrying indicator for men’s health in general, as it may be linked to broader health implications, not just reproductive ability.
On the other hand, other studies reported different results. A 2025 Cleveland Clinic analysis, which included research spanning more than five decades, concluded that sperm counts may be more stable than some studies suggest.
Experts emphasized that fertility decline is not linked to just one factor, but may be the result of a group of factors related to lifestyle and public health, including obesity, smoking, and malnutrition, in addition to exposure to some environmental pollutants and delayed reproductive age.
Medical reports also indicate that excessive alcohol consumption or use of certain narcotic substances can negatively affect men’s fertility, while quitting these habits, along with exercising and losing weight, may help improve the chances of childbearing.
Doctors also warn that some health conditions, such as infections or infections accompanied by high temperature, may temporarily affect sperm production, as their numbers can decrease for several months after contracting some diseases such as influenza or Covid-19.
Specialists believe that weak semen indicators may sometimes be a sign of other health problems, such as hormonal disorders or metabolic diseases, which makes fertility assessment an important part of monitoring general health in men.
Researchers are also studying the effect of some chemicals found in plastic, known for their ability to influence endocrine glands, as one of the possible factors that may affect fertility, but scientific evidence on this matter is still under research.
