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Researchers found that the average "normal" sperm
count in British men has fallen from 87 million sperm per
milliliter in 1989 to 62 million per milliliter in 2002--a
29 percent drop.
The research was conducted on 16,000 semen samples taken
from 7,500 men. Researchers say genetic factors are the key
to sperm counts, although environmental and occupational influences
also play a role. The results of the study suggest that a
growing number of men may have problems fathering children.
Researchers suggested that the drop in sperm may have to do
with the increasing numbers of men seeking treatment for male
infertility, however they don’t know whether men are
seeking treatment because more men have lower sperm counts,
or because they are aware of new treatment options.
More research is being conducted to find out if there has
been a similar decrease in sperm quality, as opposed to quantity,
which can greatly reduce a man’s chance of having children.
BBC
News January 5, 2004
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