Men who keep their mobile phones in their pockets may be damaging their chances of becoming a father, a new study suggests.
Scientists at the University of Exeter found that exposure of the electromagnetic radiation given off by mobile phones negatively affected sperm quality in a meta-analyis of ten studies, which included 1492 samples.
In a study published in the journal Environment International, the researchers found that the proportion of sperm with “normal movement” and sperm viability declined by an average of 8% when there was exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic signals.
Dr Mathews said:
“Given the enormous scale of mobile phone use around the world, the potential role of this environmental exposure needs to be clarified. This study strongly suggests that being exposed to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation from carrying mobiles in trouser pockets negatively affects sperm quality. This could be particularly important for men already on the borderline of infertility, and further research is required to determine the full clinical implications for the general population.”
