A few blog posts back, we focused on the need for men to be aware of their
sperm count and overall fertility health. Knowing that fertility takes
two, it is just as important for men to have quality sperm and a high
sperm count as it is for women to have a plentiful number of eggs that
are high quality. In short, it’s not just about the health of the
eggs or solely a woman’s issue, as it is often wrongly assumed.
Now, there is even more reason to be concerned about the health of men’s
sperm. A recent NYTs article noted that sperm counts in men in the U.S.
and Europe declined by 50% from 1973 to 2011. That’s a concerning
drop, and the fact that the sperm counts were measured in men from the
developed, Western world, indicates that one major factor causing such
a decline is the exposure these men have to synthetic chemicals—in
products, drugs, home furnishings, cars, cities. You name it. Any aspect
of modern life entails some encounter with synthetics. Authors of the
study are using this research as a way to advocate for better regulations
in the creation of chemicals. While regulations have long been in place,
often the “Big Chem” industry switches out one harmful chemical
for another. But there is growing awareness in the field of chemistry,
and some chemists are seeking out new ways of doing chemistry. “Green
Chemistry,” is the term now used in the industry and it involves
working to create safer chemicals for the synthetics that make up our
daily lives. While it is difficult for consumers to have full control
over their exposure to synthetics, there are some steps we can take to
limit the amount of harmful toxins we consume and use. We invite you to
take a look at our last blog written on this topic, which cited Nicolas
Kristof’s NYTs op-ed
“Are Your Sperm in Trouble?”
and provided some resources for those looking to limit exposure to chemicals
that threaten fertility– for both women and men.