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Fortune
Fortune
Alena Botros

Sperm counts have been on the decline for years and new research shows the problem is getting worse

Male nurse holding digital tablet consulting with patient in exam room. (Credit: Thomas Barwick—Getty Images)

Two key measures linked to male fertility—sperm count and concentration—have declined sharply in recent years, according to a new study, raising fears about future population growth. 

From 1973 to 2018, sperm concentration globally declined by more than half, according to a new analysis by an international team of researchers, published in the Human Reproduction Update journal on Tuesday. Meanwhile, total sperm counts declined 62.3% during the same period.

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