Men who are hooked to their black-coated laptops run the risk of becoming infertile. For, the black coating on the laptop has estrogen degradation products that harm the sperm production in the body. Even men, who are overweight, smoke, drink or binge on processed food, are also equally at risk.

According to Dr Kamini Rao, Medical Director, Bangalore Assisted Conception Centre, among the couples who have been coming to her Centre, the sperm count in the men have reduced from 60-65 million per ml to 20-22 million per ml which is nearly 50-60 percent drop in a matter of a decade. She further observed that this is a trend particularly noticed among men in the age group of 25 to 35 years.

"An increasing number of men coming with decreasing sperm count is a worrying sign. Apart from lifestyle changes, industrial pollutants and consumption of poultry fed with estrogen filled food has worsened the problem," said Dr Rao.

Considering that environmental pollutants - air as well as water - affect in low sperm generation, she felt that the government must undertake pilot projects in congested areas to identify pollutants which are in high concentration. The local authorities can work on reducing these pollutants, Dr Rao suggested. However, she emphasised that low sperm count did not mean poor libido.


How to avoid low sperm count
1. Give up smoking and alcohol, which effect rise in estrogen levels
2. Exercise regularly
3. Eat nutritious food
4. Reduce caffeine intake
5. Avoid frequent hot baths and sauna sessions
6. Lose any excess weight as it tends to cause testosterone/estrogen imbalances
7. Reduce stress levels by learning relaxation techniques