Low sperm count does not indicate that a man's children would be born with birth defects, a new research shows.
In a bid to find a link between birth defects and low sperm count, researchers examined information gathered from Baylor College of Medicine database. Their analysis showed that having low sperm count was not associated with babies born with birth defects.
"For couples considering assisted reproductive technology, the results of this study show they should not be concerned about decreased semen quality and birth defects," said Dr Tobias Kohler, residency program director at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, according to HealthDay. "More than 5 million happy and healthy babies have been conceived using these techniques."
Researchers explained that men are partially or fully responsible for the inability to conceive about 40 percent of the time. Assisted reproductive technologies such as vitro fertilization help infertile couples to have children.
Past researches claimed that low sperm count led to possible birth defects in children.
A recent study showed that daily hygiene products might lead to infertility in men. Researchers stated that chemicals such as 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), an ultra-violet filter found in some sunscreens, and the anti-bacterial agent Triclosan, used in some toothpastesare responsible for harming sperm count.
The research team had stated that endocrine disruptors are present in food, textiles, drugs, household and personal-care products such as plastic bottles, toys, and cosmetics. They explained that proving the harmful effects of endocrine disruptors on human beings has been difficult due to a lack of appropriate experimental systems.
The findings of the study were presented at the American Urological Association annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
