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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Science

Decrease of global human sperm count has doubled since turn of century

Sperm going for the egg shot in square composition
‘We have a serious problem on our hands that, if not mitigated, could threaten mankind’s survival.’ Photograph: rez-art/Getty Images/iStockphoto

The rate at which human sperm counts are decreasing has more than doubled since the turn of the century, and the mean level has dropped below a threshold that makes conception significantly more difficult.

These findings are part of a new peer-reviewed study published today in the Human Reproduction Update journal that includes data from 53 countries and is the first meta-analysis to check levels in Central America, South America and Asia.

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