Male Fertility Rates Plummet as Doctors Reveal Health Threats: ‘Something Very Wrong’
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Scientists and doctors agree that there has been an overall decline in male fertility, but they are not sure why.
Rumors on social media have pointed to some environmental exposures as potential factors, including cell phones and electric vehicles.
But the reality is “more complicated” than that, according to experts who recently spoke with National Geographic.
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Although it is unclear whether the decline is at a stage where it should be considered a crisis, the figures show that overall fertility (measured demographically by the number of babies born compared to women of childbearing age) has declined.
Scientists and doctors agree that there has been an overall decline in male fertility. (iStock)
Dr. Alex Robles of the Columbia University Fertility Center in New York confirmed that doctors are “certainly seeing more couples where the male factor is contributing to infertility.”
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“At least a third of the couples we evaluate have some male component,” he told News Digital.
A 2017 meta-analysis published in Oxford Journals: Human Reproduction Update found that sperm counts in Western countries have decreased by almost 60% globally since 1973. The 2023 update confirmed these same results.
Urologists can track fertility decline in sperm quality, while demographic data uses the number of babies born compared to women of childbearing age as a benchmark, according to National Geographic. (iStock)
The study’s lead author and epidemiologist Hagai Levine warned that this trend could lead to human extinction if not addressed.
“This is the canary in the coal mine,” Levine, a public health physician at Hebrew University’s Hadassah Braun School of Public Health, told National Geographic. “It means that something is very wrong in our current environment, since lower sperm count predicts morbidity and mortality.”
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However, these findings have been contradicted by other studies. A 2025 Cleveland Clinic analysis of studies from the past 53 years found that sperm count is stable.
“There is no evidence to suggest that this decline is the cause of a precipitous decline in the ability to cause pregnancy,” the study’s lead author, Scott Lundy, a reproductive urologist at the Cleveland Clinic, told National Geographic. “Most men, even with a modest decrease in sperm count, will have no problems conceiving.”
Potential decline factors
Multiple lifestyle factors can cause decreased male fertility, Robles noted, including obesity, smoking and diet, as well as environmental exposure and delayed parenthood.
National Geographic also reported that excessive alcohol and marijuana use directly contribute to decreased fertility and that quitting these habits, while exercising and losing weight, can help.
According to experts, smoking of any kind can contribute to decreased fertility. (iStock)
Systemic inflammation, infections and diseases can also have a “large and profound effect on the current state of fertility,” Lundy told National Geographic.
Those who are overcoming a fever caused by an infection, such as the flu or COVID, will have “drastically lower” sperm counts for three months, he said.
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According to Robles, male infertility can also be a marker of general health. “Poor semen parameters are associated with other medical conditions and may indicate underlying metabolic, hormonal or environmental problems,” he told News Digital.
Experts recommend consulting a doctor to discuss fertility issues rather than relying on the Internet. (iStock)
Allan Pacey, vice dean of the School of Biology, Medicine and Health at the University of Manchester, told National Geographic that the decline could be due to increased use of contraceptives, as well as men waiting longer to have children or choosing not to have them at all.
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Microplastics have also been mentioned on social media as possible culprits, but the effects are unclear, according to experts.
There is some evidence that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (which are substances found in reusable plastics and some disposable products) impair male fertility, Lundy revealed to National Geographic.
Myths debunked
Concerns have circulated on social media that keeping a cell phone in your front pocket could harm male fertility. While Lundy said such an effect is biologically possible, there is currently no scientific evidence to support this claim.
Another common myth is that infertility is primarily a women’s problem, Robles noted, but male factors contribute to about one-third to one-half of all cases.
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The claim that taking supplements can increase sperm count is another common myth, he said, adding that it is not supported by solid scientific evidence.
“Men should focus on factors that we know are important: maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol and managing chronic diseases,” Robles advised.
A common myth is that infertility is primarily a female problem, but male factors contribute to approximately one-third to one-half of all cases. (iStock)
Experts recommend seeing a urologist to address fertility issues. Robles said his approach begins with an evaluation, semen analysis, hormonal testing and medical history, while also exploring lifestyle factors.
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In addition to traditional treatment options, Robles said her fertility center also uses advanced tools that incorporate artificial intelligence and robotics.
“Technologies like this are expanding options for patients who previously had very limited paths to biological parenthood,” he said.
Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for News Digital.