ARE WE FACING A fertility crisis?

Mum-of-two and social commentator Angela Mollard guides you through the thrills and spills of parenthood

The sperm count of Australian men has plummeted, dropping more than 50 per cent in less than 40 years, according to new research. Obesity and stress are being blamed for the huge fall, which experts say may lead to a fertility crisis.

A comprehensive international study found there was a 50 to 60 per cent decline in sperm counts among men from North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

While the findings have prompted fears we could be facing a real-life version of The Handmaid’s Tale, where infertility is rife, scientists are warning this is a wakeup call for unhealthy men.

Our obesity epidemic is the most likely cause of our declining sperm count, says reproductive expert Kelton Tremellen of Flinders University.

‘Poor diet and lack of exercise, both endemic in the Western world, has resulted in two-thirds of men being overweight or obese, and obesity is known to be a significant risk factor for both low testosterone levels and sperm count,’ Kelton says.

The new research, published in Human Reproduction Update, found a 52.4 per cent decline in sperm concentration and a 59.3 per cent decline in total sperm count among Western men.

While experts are quick to point out that this is not an end for humanity, they acknowledge it is a problem, particularly when couples are having children later in life.

Professor Richard Sharpe of Edinburgh University said delaying children, combined with low sperm counts, has created a ‘double whammy’.

‘Couples wait until they are over 30 and then find that one or both have reproduction problems,’ he says. ‘In some cases, they may not discover these problems until they are in their late 30s – by which time they have little time left to take advantage of assisted reproductive techniques such as IVF.’

At this stage, there’s no solution, with many aspects of modern life – from smoking and pesticides to mobile phones and prenatal chemical exposure – being blamed for the problem.

What experts do agree on is that a lot more research is needed to try to discover the reason for the low sperm counts and how they can be improved.

Watercress is being heralded as a superfood stress that could reduce and help men maintain count. a healthy sperm The vegetable apparently reduces stress-related and is damage to DNA E packed with vitamins known and C, nutrients to maintain sperm count...