Research Shows, Use Of Devices Affects The Number Of Sperms And Men's Fertility Levels

Illustration of the use of gadgets affects the number of sperm and the fertility rate of men (Freepik/wayhomestudio)

YOGYAKARTA It turns out that daily habits have a big influence on reproductive health. One of them is shown by research that the number of sperm drastically decreases in user male participants and places the phone as not as it should be.

Recent research conducted by University of Geneva scientists and the Institute of Public Health with the Swiss Tropical. Scientists are researching the impact of the use of gadgets and the placement of mobile phones on men's infertility. The research was conducted over 13 years. Shows that the use of smartphones is associated with low concentration of sperm and total sperm in young adult men. But it needs to be understood, the 3G and 4G transitions are likely to reduce the impact. The possibility is that the transmission power of the latest mobile phones is lower so that the impact may be reduced.

The researchers recruited 2,886 male participants aged between 18-22 years between 2005-2018 at military recruitment centers. The research period took place from 2005-2007, 2008-2001, and 2012-2018. Laboratory specialists sampled manifold water and recorded total sperm concentrations, sperm counts, and motility. Participants are also asked to answer questions related to reproductive health, education, lifestyle habits, and how often they use their devices. The frequency of device usage, ranges from once a week to more than 20 times a day.

Based on usage frequency, researchers categorized 2,764 participant answers into five groups. The average sperm concentration is much higher in men who report the use of cell phones once a week than using mobile phones more than 20 times a day. The research conducted for a long time shows discoveries that have a significant impact on technological advances with infertility. These findings also appear to need to be carried out continuously related to technology networks from 2G to 4G and most recently innovation 5.5G.

This study also explores the placement of gadgets when not used. Placing devices, among others, according to participants' answers, is placed in pants, jackets, belts, or other places that are not attached to the body. About 85.7 percent of study groups, a total of 2,368 men, reported storing their devices in their pants pocket when they were not used. A total of 4.6 percent kept them in a jacket and 9.7 percent placed them away from the body.

According to WHO as reported by Medical News Today, Sunday, March 10, men with sperm concentrations below 15 million per millimeter may take more than a year to carry their children with their partner. The chances of getting pregnant are also lower if sperm concentration drops below 40 million per millimeter.

This study shows that sperm number has decreased by an average to 47 million per millimeter from 99 million. This is especially the case in western countries. Doctor Hussain Ahmad, a practitioner who was not involved in the study, explained that there are many factors that affect the number of sperm. These include the use of drugs or drugs, alcohol, tobacco or smoking, stress, and physical inactivity.

The researchers collaborated in a large-scale cross-sectional study of the use of cell phones and manifold water quality. Their work collected data for more than a decade about thousands of men in Switzerland. The data reported in the study, may be limited. But it is important to address this topic because the habit of wearing gadgets affects sexual and reproductive life.

This study only includes samples of men aged 18-22. The effect of radio-frequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) emitted by gadgets on advanced adult men has yet to be explored. According to Neil Paulfin, DO., a certified regenerative medicine doctor and not involved in the study said that the results of the study were not fully conclusive. But given that the relationship in the use of gadgets and infertility was quite low in 2023, the discourse on the impact was less prominent.

Uurologist Dr. Justin Houman said that older men with exposure to cell phone radiation longer and cumulative effects of environmental factors and lifestyle, the risk at infertility may be higher. Although the impact mechanism is still in debate, use also needs to be careful and be limited in duration and frequency.