Evaluation of the effect of using mobile phones on male fertility.

The problem of the lack of offspring is a phenomenon concerning approximately 15% of married couples in Poland. Infertility is defined as inability to conceive after a year of sexual intercourses without the use of contraceptives. In half of the cases the causative factor is the male. Males are exposed to the effect of various environmental factors, which may decrease their reproductive capabilities. A decrease in male fertility is a phenomenon which occurs within years, which may suggest that one of the reasons for the decrease in semen parameters is the effect of the development of techniques in the surrounding environment. A hazardous effect on male fertility may be manifested by a decrease in the amount of sperm cells, disorders in their mobility, as well as structure. The causative agents may be chemical substances, ionizing radiation, stress, as well as electromagnetic waves. The objective of the study was the determination of the effect of the usage of cellular phones on the fertility of males subjected to marital infertility therapy. The following groups were selected from among 304 males covered by the study: Group A: 99 patients who did not use mobile phones, Group B: 157 males who have used GSM equipment sporadically for the period of 1-2 years, and Group C: 48 people who have been regularly using mobile phone for more than 2 years. In the analysis of the effect of GSM equipment on the semen it was noted that an increase in the percentage of sperm cells of abnormal morphology is associated with the duration of exposure to the waves emitted by the GSM phone. It was also confirmed that a decrease in the percentage of sperm cells in vital progressing motility in the semen is correlated with the frequency of using mobile phones.

[1]  S. Swan,et al.  The question of declining sperm density revisited: an analysis of 101 studies published 1934-1996. , 2000, Environmental health perspectives.

[2]  Y. Nobukuni,et al.  Nonthermal effects of mobile-phone frequency microwaves on uteroplacental functions in pregnant rats. , 2003, Reproductive toxicology.

[3]  D. I. Lewis-Jones,et al.  Growing concern over the safety of using mobile phones and male fertility. , 2006, Archives of andrology.

[4]  R. Aitken,et al.  Impact of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation on DNA integrity in the male germline. , 2005, International journal of andrology.

[5]  E. Sheiner,et al.  Effect of occupational exposures on male fertility: literature review. , 2003, Industrial health.

[6]  N. Keiding,et al.  High frequency of sub-optimal semen quality in an unselected population of young men. , 2000, Human reproduction.

[7]  P. Claman Men at risk: occupation and male infertility. , 2004, Fertility and sterility.

[8]  Suleyman Dasdag,et al.  Whole body exposure of rats to microwaves emitted from a cell phone does not affect the testes , 2003, Bioelectromagnetics.

[9]  A. Pál,et al.  IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CELL PHONE USE AND SEMEN QUALITY? , 2005, Archives of andrology.

[10]  Iu G Grigor'ev [Biological effects of mobile phone electromagnetic field on chick embryo (risk assessment using the mortality rate)]. , 2003, Radiatsionnaia biologiia, radioecologiia.

[11]  Time trends in biological fertility in Britain , 2000, The Lancet.

[12]  Osman Erogul,et al.  Effects of electromagnetic radiation from a cellular phone on human sperm motility: an in vitro study. , 2006, Archives of medical research.

[13]  A. Mantovani,et al.  Environmental risk factors and male fertility and reproduction. , 2002, Contraception.