Fertility Decline: Researchers Say Common Chemicals Are Affecting Hormones, Sperm Quality, and Fertility

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The birth and fertility rates in the U.S. have recently dropped to a record low, according to the CDC. The birth rate fell by around 4 per cent last year.

Many might have newly decided to put off having children during the pandemic thanks to all of the economic uncertainty but it cannot take all of the blame because birth rates have been declining for years now.

The number of births in the U.S. has been on the decline for the past 6 years and last year it's reported that some 3.6 million babies were born in the U.S.

Why aren't people having kids?

One study found that there are several motivations for women in putting off having children today. They include health reasons, financial considerations, career goals, and life goals.

But the decreasing birth rates might also be connected to the rising infertility rates. There is also a growing problem of falling sperm counts which chemicals have also been blamed for too.

According to research from 2017 it's estimated that sperm counts for men in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand, have declined significantly, more than 59 per cent from 1973 to 2011.

A few years ago it was estimated that about 1 in 6 couples might experience infertility and things might be getting worse. Millions of couples struggle today to get pregnant, and many will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get help. We already see that the use of technology to help in the process via fertility services etc, has been growing in demand for years.

Some have already asked what might be fueling these rising infertility rates?

Now, researchers are increasingly pointing the finger at common chemicals which they say might be fueling some of the problem.

Previous investigation on this topic has found that chemical pollutants in the home and those in our diet might have the potential to negatively impact the fertility for both men and women, even in animals too..

"The whole issue of things in our environment affecting reproduction is important, and any studies that bring attention to it are of value," - Dr. H Zacur, professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore.

Researchers have previously discovered that high levels of chemicals like PFCs in the blood might drastically increase the odds of experiencing infertility. That risk was seen after they accounted for economic factors, social factors, and more.

Unfortunately, they also warn that these products are just about everywhere and it can be next to impossible to avoid them entirely.