Air pollution and sperm quality of men in China

There are more and more researches that study the impact of air pollution on health. Infertility is becoming a global problem and it is estimated that about 10% of couples have problems conceiving. Experts from the World Health Organization believe that about 50% of all problems with conception are caused by poorer sperm quality in men (reduction in sperm volume, number and motility of sperm).

This study was conducted in China on 33,876 men. The study included men from 340 cities whose wives were in an in vitro fertilization program in Shanghai, China. The research lasted from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2019. The average age of the respondents was 34.1 years. Their sperm quality was analyzed and linked to reports from the National Air Quality Analysis Service in the city where they lived. Air quality included the content of particles in the air, but also the amount of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone.

The conclusion of the study is that the exposure of men to certain air pollutants during spermatogenesis can impair sperm quality and especially negatively affect sperm motility.

This study was published on February 17, 2022.

You can read the whole paper here.