Religion and Ethics Forum
General Category => Science and Technology => Topic started by: Sriram on March 29, 2023, 06:16:55 AM
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Hi everyone,
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230327-how-pollution-is-causing-a-male-fertility-crisis
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In 2022, Levine and his collaborators published a review of global trends in sperm count. It showed that sperm counts fell on average by 1.2% per year between 1973 to 2018, from 104 to 49 million/ml. From the year 2000, this rate of decline accelerated to more than 2.6% per year.
Levine argues this acceleration could be down to epigenetic changes, meaning, alterations to the way genes work, caused by environmental or lifestyle factors. A separate review also suggests epigenetics may play a part in changes in sperm, and male infertility.
"There are signs that it could be cumulative across generations," he says.
The idea that epigenetic changes can be inherited across generations has not been without controversy, but there is evidence suggesting it may be possible.
"This [declining sperm count] is a marker of poor health of men, maybe even of mankind," says Levine. "We are facing a public health crisis – and we don't know if it's reversible."
Research suggests that male infertility may predict future health problems, though the exact link is not fully understood. One possibility is that certain lifestyle factors could contribute to both infertility, and other health problems.
"While the experience of wanting a child and not being able to get pregnant is extraordinarily devastating, this is a much bigger problem," says Da Silva.
Individual lifestyle changes may not be enough to halt the decline in sperm quality. Mounting evidence suggests there is a wider, environmental threat: toxic pollutants.
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Cheers.
Sriram
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Lower fertility means fewer humans being born. How could anybody not think this is a good thing?
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Lower fertility means fewer humans being born. How could anybody not think this is a good thing?
Actually, to date, it hasn't resulted in a significant decline in birth rate. Whilst the sperm counts have been reducing - there is some debate about whether the ~50% figure cited in the big 2022 meta-analysis is justified, but no-one seems to be arguing that there hasn't been a significant decline - it hasn't come close to the point where fertility medicine considers the count to be indicative of fertility issues.
Essentially, we were overproducing previously, and we're overproducing by less now. This doesn't mean that's it's not a potential problem for the future, especially if the downward trend continues, but it's far from a current 'fertility crisis' amongst men and, indeed, if fertility is measured by outcome (i.e. children) rather than potential (i.e. sperm count) then there's not actually any measurable decline in fertility as a result of this at all.
O.
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Lower fertility means fewer humans being born. How could anybody not think this is a good thing?
Fewer humans is fine ... but we don't need to poison the planet to achieve that...
And the richest and greediest who create much (most?) of the pollution need the masses to toil for them?
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Probably no bad thing, given overpopulation.
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Fewer humans is fine ... but we don't need to poison the planet to achieve that...
What's the evidence that the reduction in sperm count has anything to do with pollution?
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What's the evidence that the reduction in sperm count has anything to do with pollution?
I don't know, but that is what the article is suggesting. If the decline in sperm count is just due to lifestyle choices then I don't have problem with it.
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I don't know, but that is what the article is suggesting.
Articles aren't always right.
If the decline in sperm count is just due to lifestyle choices then I don't have problem with it.
There's no real evidence for that either, as far as I am aware.
NB I'm not saying these aren't the causes, only that I haven't seen any evidence to say they are.
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PFAs affecting female fertility:
‘Forever chemicals’ linked to infertility in women, study shows (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/06/forever-chemicals-infertility-women-pfas-blood)