Why is male fertility on the decline?

+ sex trafficking, explained US Edition - Today's top story: Male fertility is declining – studies show that environmental toxins could be a reason [View in browser]( US Edition | 30 July 2021 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Though I personally have yet to become a parent, I can imagine the decision to start a family is a powerfully emotional moment for any two people. So when nearly 1 in 8 couples struggles to get pregnant today, it is not surprising that experts like Dr. Ryan P. Smith of the University of Virginia are called upon for help. Smith is a physician and researcher who specializes in male reproductive health. Researchers like him have known for years that male fertility has been on the decline since the middle of the 20th century. Doctors know some of the causes – such conditions as increased obesity and genetic disorders, for example – but these don’t fully explain the global decline in sperm counts and sperm health. Smith and others in his field have begun to suspect that exposure to human-produced toxic compounds could be a cause. He argues that while it is difficult to “definitively establish which chemicals are causing the male fertility decline, the [weight of the evidence is growing](” that toxic compounds in the environment are causing these problems. Also today: - [A new fight in Congress over war powers]( - [30 million Americans live in condos – here’s what their volunteer boards need to know]( - [The diet fad with roots in Islam and Jainism]( Daniel Merino Assistant Science Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast Today's newsletter supported by [MarketWatch]( For decades, sperm counts and sperm health have been declining. Carol Yepes/Moment via Getty Images [Male fertility is declining – studies show that environmental toxins could be a reason]( Ryan P. 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