A new study shows that men's sperm quality is decreasing

The article about the study on Temporal trends in Sperm Count provides a systematic review and meta-regression analysis of recent trends in Sperm Counts as measured by Sperm Concentration (SC) and Total Sperm Count (TSC), and their modification by fertility and geographic group.

The study group analyzed sperm counts (both by SC and TSC) but not Sperm Motility and Morphology because information regarding motility and morphology were seldom available in older studies. Moreover, the recommended methods and criteria for motility and morphology assessments have changed significantly over time, making  across-time comparisons difficult.

Conclusion of the study

In this comprehensive meta-analysis, sperm counts, whether measured by SC or TSC, declined significantly among men from North America, Europe and Australia during 1973–2011, with a 50–60% decline among men unselected by fertility, with no evidence of a ‘leveling off’ in recent years. These findings strongly suggest a significant decline in male reproductive health, which has serious implications beyond fertility concerns. Research on causes and implications of this decline is urgently needed.” Reference: Human Reproduction Update, pp. 1–14, 2017. 

SwimCount Sperm Quality Test

SwimCount measures the number of the Progressive Motile Sperm Cells also referred to as PMSCs in the semen sample, as the PMSCs are the best predictor for male fertility (Tomlinson et al., 2013). A PMSC is the only sperm cell that can fertilize an egg.

By measuring the PMSCs SwimCount informs the man about the quality of his sperms, i.e. the QUALITATIVE NUMBER of his fertility potential. Further SwimCount indirectly and implicitely also measures the sperm cells with good Morphology.

Read the 'Human Reproductive Update' findings here

Read the article from The Guardian, Tuesday July 25th here

Read the article from BBC News, Tuesday July 25th here

Read the article from Daily Mail, Friday July 28th here