New Study Strengthens Link Between Pesticide Exposure and Low Sperm Count

French and Argentinean researches have produced new evidence that exposure to pesticides and other industrial chemicals are contributing to falling sperm counts and rising infertility, according to Reuters news service (click here for full news article). The study, entitled Contribution of environmental factors to the risk of male infertility, appears in the current issue of the journal Human Reproduction. Click here to read the abstract of the article.
The study examined 225 men from a productive farming region in Argentina, the scientists found exposure to insecticides, herbicides and fungicides could limit their ability to have children. "Our results suggest that toxicants act on the testes and post-testicular sites, including accessory sex glands," said Multigner, one of the authors of the study. "The testicles are one of the most vulnerable organs to environmental, physical and chemical agents."
The researchers point out that Argentina has become a major user of pesticides since the 1940s and conclude that other developing countries should be aware of the harmful effects of pesticides and other industrial chemicals.