Quality of semen in young adult males who carry mobile phone in their front pocket of trousers or jeans.
Keywords:
Mobile Phone, Semen Analysis, Sperm, Electromagnetic Waves
Abstract
Background: The number of mobile users is rising rapidly worldwide (6 billion). Mobile phones emit low frequency electromagnetic radiation , posed a serious threat to the male as well as his reproductive health.Methods: The present study is a retrospective cohort study conducted in 2 months period to study the semen parameters of 60 young healthy adult males in age range of 21-30 years. They were grouped into Group 1 and Group 2 depending upon the habit of carrying their mobile phones either in the front pocket of their trousers or jeans ( Group 1) & those who carried the mobile phone in the pocket of their shirts or T-shirts ( Group2). Semen analysis was performed, routine semen parameters were noted. The findings of the two groups were tabulated and mean values , standard deviation, along with P-values for Unpaired T Test in group 1 and group 2 were performed.Results: It was found that the sperm count , motile sperm count, percentage motility, grade of motility, and percentage of morphologically normal sperms, were significantly lowered in group 1 as compared to group 2 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: We found that the sperm parameters and overall grade of motility were significantly lower in the group carrying mobile phones in the front pocket of their trousers or jeans without significant difference in the semen volume. Long term studies can be conducted to assess impact of decline in quality of semen on the fertility potential of young men.References
1. Market Data Summary (Q2 2009). GSM Association. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
2. Press Release no. 143/2012. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, New Delhi, 4th July 2012.
3. Petrelli G, Mantovami A: Environmental risk factors and male fertility and reproduction. Contraception 2002, 65(4), 297-300.
4. Sandro LV, Rosita AC, Enzo V, Rosario D, Aldo EC. Effects of the exposure to mobile phones on male reproduc-tion: A review of literature. Journal of Andrology, May/June 2012, 33(3), 350-56.
5. World Health Organization. WHO laboratory manual for the examination of human semen and sperm-cervical mucous interaction. 4th ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
6. D’Andrea JA, Emmerson RY, Bailey CM, Olsen RG, Gandhi OP. Microwave radiation absorption in the rat: fre-quency-dependent SAR distribution in body and tail. Bioelectromagnetics. 1985;6(2):199-206.
7. Agarwal A, Deepinder F, Sharma RK, Ranga G, Li J. Effect of cell phone usage on semen analysis in men attend-ing infertility clinic: an observational study. Fertil Steril. 2008; 89:124-128.
8. Susa M, Pavicić I. Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on mammalian spermatogenesis. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2007;58:449-59.
9. Wang SM, Wang DW, Peng RY, Gao YB, Yang Y, Hu WH, et al. [Effect of electromagnetic pulse irradiation on structure and function of Leydig cells in mice.] Zhonghua Nan ke Xue 2003;9:327-30 (chinese).
10. Giwercman A, Richthoff J, Hjollund H, Bonde JP, Jepson K, Frohm B, et al. Correlation between sperm motility and sperm chromatin structure assay parameters. Fertil Steril. 2003;80:1404-12.
11. Fejes I, Zavaczki Z, Szollosi J, Koloszar S, Daru J, Kovacs L, Pal A. Is there a relationship between cell phone use and semen quality? Arch Androl. 2005; 51:385-93.
12. Agarwal A, Desai NR, Makker K, Varghese A, Mouradi R, Sabanegh E, Sharma R. Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMR) from cellular phones on human ejaculated semen: an in vitro pilot study. Fertil Steril. 2009;92:1318-25.
13. Falzone N, Huyser C, Franken DR, Leszczynski D. Mobile phone radiation does not induce pro-apoptosis effects in human spermatozoa. Radiat Res. 2010;174:169-76.
14. Burch JB, Reif JS, Yost MG, Keefe TJ, Pitrat CA. Nocturnal excretion of a urinary melatonin metabolite among electric utility workers. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1998;24:183-9.
15. Saikhun J, Kitiyanant Y, Vanadurongwan V, Pavasuthipaisit K. Effects of sauna on sperm movement characteristics of normal men measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis. Int J Androl. 1998;21:358-63.
2. Press Release no. 143/2012. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, New Delhi, 4th July 2012.
3. Petrelli G, Mantovami A: Environmental risk factors and male fertility and reproduction. Contraception 2002, 65(4), 297-300.
4. Sandro LV, Rosita AC, Enzo V, Rosario D, Aldo EC. Effects of the exposure to mobile phones on male reproduc-tion: A review of literature. Journal of Andrology, May/June 2012, 33(3), 350-56.
5. World Health Organization. WHO laboratory manual for the examination of human semen and sperm-cervical mucous interaction. 4th ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
6. D’Andrea JA, Emmerson RY, Bailey CM, Olsen RG, Gandhi OP. Microwave radiation absorption in the rat: fre-quency-dependent SAR distribution in body and tail. Bioelectromagnetics. 1985;6(2):199-206.
7. Agarwal A, Deepinder F, Sharma RK, Ranga G, Li J. Effect of cell phone usage on semen analysis in men attend-ing infertility clinic: an observational study. Fertil Steril. 2008; 89:124-128.
8. Susa M, Pavicić I. Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on mammalian spermatogenesis. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2007;58:449-59.
9. Wang SM, Wang DW, Peng RY, Gao YB, Yang Y, Hu WH, et al. [Effect of electromagnetic pulse irradiation on structure and function of Leydig cells in mice.] Zhonghua Nan ke Xue 2003;9:327-30 (chinese).
10. Giwercman A, Richthoff J, Hjollund H, Bonde JP, Jepson K, Frohm B, et al. Correlation between sperm motility and sperm chromatin structure assay parameters. Fertil Steril. 2003;80:1404-12.
11. Fejes I, Zavaczki Z, Szollosi J, Koloszar S, Daru J, Kovacs L, Pal A. Is there a relationship between cell phone use and semen quality? Arch Androl. 2005; 51:385-93.
12. Agarwal A, Desai NR, Makker K, Varghese A, Mouradi R, Sabanegh E, Sharma R. Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMR) from cellular phones on human ejaculated semen: an in vitro pilot study. Fertil Steril. 2009;92:1318-25.
13. Falzone N, Huyser C, Franken DR, Leszczynski D. Mobile phone radiation does not induce pro-apoptosis effects in human spermatozoa. Radiat Res. 2010;174:169-76.
14. Burch JB, Reif JS, Yost MG, Keefe TJ, Pitrat CA. Nocturnal excretion of a urinary melatonin metabolite among electric utility workers. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1998;24:183-9.
15. Saikhun J, Kitiyanant Y, Vanadurongwan V, Pavasuthipaisit K. Effects of sauna on sperm movement characteristics of normal men measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis. Int J Androl. 1998;21:358-63.
Published
2015-09-19
Issue
Section
Original Article
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
