Male Painters Exposed To Fertility Damaging Chemicals

Men working as painters and decorators who are exposed to glycol ethers are more likely to have poor semen quality, according to research carried out by scientists from the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester.

Sperm motility is an important factor in the fertility of men and the concentration of motile sperm per ejaculate has shown to be linked with conception. However, the size and shape of sperm (morphology) and the quality of sperm DNA are also important factors that may be affected by chemical exposure.

The researchers however did conclude that, apart from glycol ether, there are currently few workplace chemical threats to male fertility.

In additional to chemical exposure, the study looked at other non-chemical factors in the men's lifestyle. The researchers discovered that men who had undergone previous surgery to the testicles or who undertook manual work were more likely to have low motile sperm counts, whereas men who drank alcohol regularly or wore boxer shorts were more likely to have better semen quality.

Read Complete article at http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/108733.php

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Antidepressant Associated Changes In Semen Parameters

Antidepressant Associated Changes In Semen Parameters

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/57127.php

UroToday.com - The authors describe 2 patients who have had severely impaired sperm concentration and motility closely associated with the use of antidepressant medications.

They noted a temporal relationship between abnormal semen parameters and antidepressant therapy in these two patients. Each had normal semen parameters off medications.

The evaluation of each patient was unremarkable. While on antidepressant medications, both patients produced semen samples with marked impairment of sperm concentration and/or motility. Each patient demonstrated a normalization of sperm concentration and motility after discontinuation of antidepressants.

The authors hypothesize that Serotonin-reuptake inhibitor antidepressants may affect sperm transport, resulting in impaired sperm motility and concentration for some patients.

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Sunny holidays 'hit sperm count'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6688963.stm

Going abroad for a relaxing holiday before trying for a baby may not be a good idea, fertility experts say. Officials at the Bourn Hall Clinic in Cambridgeshire say soaking up the sun in tight trunks may be one of the worst preparations for fathering a child.

Australian research has shown that too much heat can reduce sperm count and slow down the surviving sperm.

But other experts cast doubt on the claims, although they said it may be wise to be cautious.

Many couples feel that a foreign break improves their chances of conceiving by allowing them to relax fully.

However, sperm takes eight weeks to mature in the testes, and during that period, is vulnerable to any changes in temperature.

The testes naturally hang outside the body to keep them cool, and confining them in tight underwear, or dipping them in the hot tub may not be a good idea, it is claimed.

Dr Thomas Mathews, the Medical Director at Bourn Hall, the world's first assisted conception clinic, said: "We find that at an initial consultation men may have a normal sperm count, but in some cases this has declined when we check again before treatment, which may be several months later.

"It is only recently that it has occurred to us that there may be a seasonal effect at work."

Hot baths
He said experiments had found that exposing the testes to heat over long periods led to a decreased sperm count.

In the 1950s, it was even suggested that regular hot baths could be a successful contraceptive.

Modern IVF methods do not require large numbers of viable sperm, as a single sperm can be used to fertilise an egg, in a process called ICSI.

The Australian research on animals found that heating the testes caused cell death, and a subsequent reduction in the numbers of sperm in the semen.

In addition, the sperm that were present had a reduced swimming ability, and might therefore be less capable of fertilisation.

But Sheffield University fertility expert Dr Allan Pacey said: "If this was a major effect, I think we would see people having problems conceiving in every country in the Tropics.

"However, it's worth being cautious, as there is some evidence that scrotal heating can have an effect on DNA quality in sperm."

Posted by Dr.Savitha Suri Ayurveda help through ayurveda consultations