A new study published in the scientific journal Fertility and Sterility investigated the association between sperm count and bisphenol A (BPA) levels in 149 male partners of couples seeking in vitro fertilization. The researchers from Slovenia’s University Medical Centre Maribor and the Environmental Protection Institute found a reduced sperm count in those men with elevated BPA levels in urine. Men with BPA levels in the highest quartile had 8% less live sperm compared to those with the lowest BPA levels. However, the findings were not statistically significant and may be due to chance. A limitation of the study was that only subfertile couples seeking fertility treatment were assessed. Susceptible men seeking fertility treatment may also be more affected to BPA exposure than those with intact spermatogenesis.
Reference
Knez L, et al (2013). “Are urinary bisphenol A levels in men related to semen quality and embryo development after medically assisted reproduction?” Fertility and Sterility. (published online October 29, 2013) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.09.030.
Read more
Environmental Health News (November 14, 2013). “BPA may affect sperm quality in couples seeking in vitro fertilization.”
