• Question: Do you think the general public need a better understanding of how different things can affect sperm function?

    Asked by to Clare on 18 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Clare Nevin

      Clare Nevin answered on 18 Mar 2014:


      Hi! Yes definitely. Fertility rates have been analysed in countries around the world and some studies show a decrease in fertility while others do not. However, with Western lifestyles often being very sedentary (including sitting at a desk all day at work), having poor nutritional value and more and more people living in cities exposed to pollutants, it is critical that we understand whether this can affect sperm function. Parameters such as motility and morphology are often unchanged in people with a less healthy lifestyle, but at the DNA level we see changes that can be passed down onto further generations – this is the worrying thing. So I believe that if people think their children could be affected by their lifestyle and environment then they will want to live healthier lives.

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