Male fertility rates crash as doctors reveal health threats: ‘Something very wrong’

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Scientists and physicians agree that there’s been a general decline inmale fertility— but they aren’t sure why.

Social media buzz has pointed to a few environmental exposures as potential factors, including cellphones and electric vehicles.

But the reality is “more complicated” than that, according to experts who recently spoke toNational Geographic.

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Although it’s not clear whether the decline is at a stage where it should be considered a crisis, numbers show that overall fertility — demographically measured by the number of babies born compared to women of child-bearing age — has decreased.

Couple holding hands at fertility doctor

Scientists and physicians agree that there’s been a general decline in male fertility.(iStock)

Dr.Alex Robles of the Columbia University Fertility Center in New York confirmed that clinical practitioners are “certainly seeing more couples where the male factor contributes to infertility.”

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“At least one-third of couples we evaluate have some male component,�

A 2017 meta-analysis published in Oxford Journals: Human Reproduction Update found thatsperm countsin Western countries have declined by almost 60% globally since 1973.The 2023 update confirmed these same results.

Urologists can track declining fertility in sperm quality, while demographic data uses the number of babies born compared to women of child-bearing age as a benchmark, according to National Geographic.(iStock)

Lead study author and epidemiologist Hagai Levine warned that this trend could lead to human extinction if it isn’t addressed.

“This is the canary in the coal mine,” Levine, public health physician at the Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health, told National Geographic.“It signifies that something is very wrong with our current environment, as lower sperm counts predictmorbidity and mortality.”

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These findings have been contradicted by other studies, however.A 2025 Cleveland Clinic analysis of studies from the last 53 years found sperm counts to be steady.

“There is no evidence to suggest that this decline is the cause of a precipitous decline in the ability tocause pregnancies,” primary study author Scott Lundy, a reproductive urologist at Cleveland Clinic, told National Geographic.“Most men, even with a modest decline in sperm counts, will still have no issues conceiving.”

Potential factors of decline

Multiple lifestyle factors can lead to a decline in male fertility, Robles noted,including obesity, smoking and diet, as well as environmental exposures and delayed parenthood.

National Geographic also reported that heavy drinking and marijuana use directly contribute to declining fertility and that quitting these habits, while also exercising and losing weight, can help.

Smoking of any kind can contribute to a decline in fertility, according to experts.(iStock)

Systemic inflammation, infection and disease can also have a “big, profound effect on the current status of fertility,” Lundy told National Geographic.

Those who are getting over a fever from an infection, like theflu or COVID, will have a “drastically lower” sperm count for three months, he said.

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Male infertility can also be a marker of overall health, according to Robles.“Poor semen parameters are associated with other medical conditions and may signal underlying metabolic, hormonal or environmental issues,�

couple sit at gynecologic cancer appointment

Experts recommend seeing a doctor to discuss fertility concerns instead of relying on the internet.(iStock)

Allan Pacey, deputy dean of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at the University of Manchester, told National Geographic that the decline could be caused by increased use of contraception, as well as men waiting longer to have children or choosing not to have them at all.

endocrine-disrupting chemicals— which are substances found in reusable plastics and some disposable products — altering male fertility, Lundy revealed to National Geographic.

Myths busted

Concerns have circulated on social media thatkeeping a cellphonein a front pocket could harm male fertility.While Lundy said such an effect is biologically possible, there is currently no scientific evidence supporting the claim.

Another common myth is that infertility is mostly a women’s issue, Robles noted, but male factors contribute to about one-third to one-half of all cases.

One common myth is that infertility is mostly a women’s issue, but male factors contribute to about one-third to one-half of all cases.(iStock)

Experts recommend seeing a urologist to address fertility concerns.Robles said his approach begins with an evaluation, semen analysis, hormonal testing andmedical history, while also exploring lifestyle factors.

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In addition to traditional treatment options, Robles said his fertility center also usesadvanced toolsthat incorporate AI and robotics.

“Technologies like this are expanding options for patients who previously had very limited paths to biological parenthood,” he said.