Poor Semen Quality in Switzerland

© UNIGE

Never keep a cell phone in your pocket. The Phonegate Alert Association has revealed that some 250 cell phones tested in contact with the body expose users to radio frequencies exceeding European (and Swiss) regulatory limits and must be updated or withdrawn from the market. This issue was raised at the National Council of the Swiss Parliament in March of this year. When will the authorities correctly inform cell phone users?

Poor semen quality in Switzerland

Press Release, unige.ch, 22 May 2019

Researchers at UNIGE have carried out the first nationwide study on semen quality of young Swiss men. And their verdict? Only 38% of men have semen parameter values above the norms set by World Health Organization for fertile men.

[Full text of study published in the journal, "Andrology".]

Over the last fifty years, a marked decrease in sperm count has been observed in the Western World. But what about the situation in Switzerland? Up to now, no study had evaluated the reproductive health of Swiss young men. Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, working in collaboration with other institutions and with a logistical support from the Swiss army, have undertaken the first nationwide assessment of the semen quality of men between the age of 18 and 22. The scientists assessed three important parameters: the number of spermatozoa, their motility and morphology. The results were well below the reference values issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The current situation is a matter of concern since the poor semen quality of Swiss men is associated with an increase in the incidence of testicular cancer. You can read about the study in the journal Andrology.

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