Male infertility crisis

The male infertility crisis is an increase in male infertility since the mid-1970s.^[1] The issue attracted media attention after a 2017 meta-analysis found that sperm counts had declined by 52.4 percent between 1973 and 2011.^[2][3] The decline is particularly prevalent in Western countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and North America.^[4] A 2022 meta-analysis reported that this decline extends to non-Western countries, namely those in Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America.^[5] This meta-analysis also suggests that the decline in sperm counts may be accelerating.^[5]

This decline in male fertility is the subject of research and debate. Proposed explanations include lifestyle factors, such as changes in diet and physical activity levels, and increased exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as those found in plastics and pesticides.^[6][7] Some scientists^[8][9] have questioned the extent of the crisis; the scientific community, however, generally acknowledges increasing male infertility as a men's-health issue.^[10]