HAS THE FERTILITY OF DANISH MEN DECLINED THROUGH THE YEARS IN TERMS OF SEMEN QUALITY - A COMPARISON OF SEMEN QUALITIES BETWEEN 1952 AND 1972

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 28  (2) , 91-95
Abstract
The semen analysis of 1077 men examined in 1952 was compared with the semen analysis of 1000 men examined in 1972 to assess if fertility in Danish men has declined during the period. The men on both occasions were examined because of a fertility problem. In 1952 6.2% of the men had azoospermia compared with 3.9% in 1972 (P < 0.05). Between 1952 and 1972 there was a fall in sperm count (P < 0.01, median 73.4 and 54.4 million ml), a deterioration in spermatozoa motility (P < 0.001), an increase in number of abnormal spermatozoa (P < 0.01, median 26.0%, and 44.8%), and a deterioration in fertility class according to the Hammen system (P < 0.001). Semen volume and number of immobile spermatozoa did not change. This study of Danish men, like studies from other industrialized countries, indicates a fall in semen quality and male fertility since the early fifties.

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